Despite claims that the FBI was attempting to retrieve classified documents from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, agents also seized boxes of records covered by attorney-client privilege and possibly executive privilege during its unprecedented raid, according to a new report.
Sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News that in addition to their seizure of potentially privileged records, the Department of Justice denied a request from Trump’s lawyers for an independent special master to review the records.
Sources told Fox News that Trump’s team was informed that boxes labeled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, and A-33 as well as a set of documents, all of which were itemized on the FBI’s property receipt, contained information covered by attorney-client privilege and that some records could be covered by executive privilege.
And we’re supposed to believe this wasn’t a fishing expedition?
Why does this matter? Because Trump has repeatedly asserted executive privilege in the Democrats’ January 6th witchhunt investigation. Now, as a result of the FBI’s raid, the FBI has documents covered by attorney-client privilege and possibly executive privilege in their possession. That’s rather convenient, isn’t it?
Related: Yes, They’re Going to Arrest Donald Trump. Deal With It.
Many have suggested the Department of Justice wasn’t really after classified documents at all. Trump insists the documents had already been declassified, and the DOJ already knew which documents were in the secured storage and had requested an additional lock be added to the door. “They could have had it anytime they wanted—and that includes LONG ago. ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS ASK,” Trump said in a statement.
The revelation that the FBI took boxes of privileged documents supports the theory that the raid was a pretext for the FBI to get into the house in search of other information. Former intelligence and federal law enforcement officials previously speculated that the FBI cited missing National Archives material as an excuse to obtain the warrant needed to raid Mar-a-Lago.
“I don’t think they’re that interested in classified information or the Presidential Records Act,” Andrew C. McCarthy, a former assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York, said. “They’re looking for evidence to try to make a case on Trump for Jan. 6.”
It looks like he was right.
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