Notes on the Trump raid

What do we know? Law enforcement leaks and confirmation from the Trump side indicate that the FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence indicate that the search was focused on presidential records and the possible violation of the Presidential Records Act. In her inside account of the raid, Miranda Devine puts it this way: “The Post has learned that the search warrant used by the FBI to enter the palatial Palm Beach property focused solely on presidential records and evidence of classified information being stored there.”

The scope of the seized documents, however, may have extended well beyond the terms of the warrant. It appears that the FBI scooped up just about every document at the residence. I take it that the authorities are out to get Trump.

Based on his own prosecutorial experience, Andrew McCarthy emphasizes that the raid was a pretext for seizing documents that may bear on the interest of the Biden Department of Justice in prosecuting Trump for events related to Jan. 6. The pretext is all.

The Trump people are talking. See Devine’s New York Post story linked above. However, their knowledge is limited and their purposes are self-interested.

The Attorney General and the FBI are not talking in public. You see, they are involved in an ongoing investigation. Confidentiality is sacred.

“[M]ultiple people familiar with the investigation” nevertheless spoke with the three New York Times reporters who wrote up the raid. Funny how that works.

Someone at the White House leaked to New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin that “senior White House officials” (presumably including Biden) had no notice of the raid. Martin takes it as the gospel truth. When it comes to Democrats, Martin adopts the willing suspension of disbelief. How does he know? A White House operative told him so. You have to be stupid to take this at face value.

I think readers would be well advised at this point not to believe anyone or anything you don’t see with their (your) own eyes. I don’t.

We saw the FBI agents holding the fort down outside Mar-a-Lago with big weapons. It was sickening. Christopher Wray should be sent packing and the FBI should be dissolved and reconstituted. It has become an unaccountable and politically corrupt organization.

McCarthy’s cynicism is required. Lending support to McCarthy’s observation about the pretextual nature of the Trump raid yesterday was the seizure of Rep. Scott Perry’s cell phone yesterday. FOX News reported the story here.

Perry gave FOX News this statement: “This morning, while traveling with my family, 3 FBI agents visited me and seized my cell phone. They made no attempt to contact my lawyer, who would have made arrangements for them to have my phone if that was their wish. I’m outraged — though not surprised — that the FBI under the direction of Merrick Garland’s DOJ, would seize the phone of a sitting Member of Congress. My phone contains info about my legislative and political activities, and personal/private discussions with my wife, family, constituents, and friends. None of this is the government’s business.”

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