The Justice Department on Friday made a redacted version of the affidavit supporting the search at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence public. This came after an order from a magistrate judge.
1. Why the FBI began investigating
As per the now-released affidavit, the government is conducting a “criminal investigation” about the “improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces” and unlawful concealment or removal of government records.
“The investigation began as a result of a referral the United States National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) sent to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) on February 9, 2022, hereinafter, ‘NARA Referral’,” the document states.
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As per the NARA Referral’s statement on January 18, 2022, NARA received from the office of former president Donald Trump, 15 boxes of records, in accordance with the Presidential Records Act.
These boxes, which had been moved from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence at 1100 S Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach, FL 33480, were said to contain “highly classified documents intermingled with other records”, among other things, as per NARA reports.
2. What the FBI hoped to find
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), after an initial review of the NARA referral, opened a criminal investigation to determine how these documents with “classification markings and records were removed from the White House ( or any other authorized location(s) for the storage of classified materials)” came to be stored at Mar-a-Lago.
They also looked into other things like whether the storage locations on Trump’s premises were authorized to hold classified documents.
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The investigation also sought to uncover whether there are any additional classified documents or records stored at other unauthorized locations or unknown places and whether they still remain at these locations. The Feds also sought to identify people who may have kept or removed classified information without authorization, storing them in an unauthorized space.
3. Why the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago
The FBI investigation determined that documents bearing classification markings, which were said to contain National Defense Information (NDI), were among things in those 15 boxes and were stored at an unauthorized location on Trump’s premises.
“Further, there is probable cause to believe that additional documents that contain classified NDI or that are Presidential records subject to record retention requirements currently remain at the PREMISES”, the redacted affidavit claims.
Feds also believed they’d uncover evidence of obstruction at Mar-a-Lago.
4. Who came up with the affidavit for the search
A Special Agent with the FBI at the Washington Field Office was the person behind the affidavit. In the document, they claimed to be trained at the FBI Academy located at Quantico, Virginia, specializing in counterintelligence and espionage investigations.
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The agent continued, “Based on my experience and training, I am familiar with efforts used to unlawfully collect, retain, and disseminate sensitive government information, including classified NDI”, before applying for permission to search the premises.
“Based upon the following facts, there is probable cause to believe that the locations to be searched at the PREMISES contain evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed”, the agent concluded.
