Republicans demand DOJ reveal reason for Mar-a-Lago search if it was ‘nuclear weapons’ or ‘aliens’

House Republicans demanded the Department of Justice now release not just the warrant used to raid Mar-a-Lago but the highly detailed accompanying affidavit. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday he would ask a judge to unseal the warrant, barring former President Trump’s objection. Trump released a statement Friday calling for the warrant to be released immediately. 

But the government has not yet taken steps to release the affidavit used in support of the warrant, which would reveal in further detail the broad investigation into Trump. It would describe the probable cause prosecutors had to believe there was evidence of a crime hiding out in Trump’s Florida golf course property. 

‘It should be released to us,’ House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said in a news conference Friday of the affidavit. 

‘We believe that after the [warrant] release today that these questions will still remain unanswered,’ he added. He requested that the Democrats who lead the committee support their call for the affidavit and back a subpoena if DOJ fails to provide one. 

‘We want to know what was this imminent national security threat upon which this was based?’ Turner said. 

‘There were a number of options that were available to the Attorney General and the director of the FBI besides raiding Mar-a-Largo, the foreign president’s home, and spending nine hours there,’ Turner said. 

The Washington Post reported that classified nuclear weapons documents may have been among the boxes the FBI retrieved. Trump called the claim a ‘hoax.’ 

Asked if the raid would be justified if it was to take back nuclear weapons information, Turner said: ‘It depends on what the nuclear information is. You can say nuclear weapons, but there are things that are highly highly classified. There are things that are not extremely classified.’ 

Utah Rep. Chris Stewart joked that ‘maybe it was aliens’ but no one could say without the affidavit. 

‘Was it nuclear? Was it, hey heck, maybe it was aliens – that’s the point. We don’t know. We’re asking them to tell us.’ 

Other members of the caucus sowed distrust in the FBI and claimed the Department of Justice was launching a political attack. 

‘What makes you think we should trust the FBI?’ Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said. ‘Where have they earned out trust?’ 

Stewart compared the raid to attacks on political opponents under the Soviet Union. 

‘People around the world want to live under an American FBI and their leadership, not an American KGB or some of the nefarious innuendos that would come with living under an organization or a government that treat people differently,’ he said.

‘The perception is now…. the Department of Justice and the FBI has chosen a team and that they’re working for that team now against the interest of other Americans.’ 

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Pa., the only former FBI agent in Congress, questioned why the FBI chose the ‘most extreme’ method of retrieving documents. 

‘There is a continuum of options available to any agency that’s enforcing the law from non invasive methods like the passive service of a subpoena … all the way up to the most extreme, which would be the execution of a search warrant.’

‘The Bureau and the Attorney General and the DOJ obviously made the decision that this extreme measure was necessary. We will await their rationale as to why that extreme measure was justified and not some lesser intrusive means.’ 

Mullin and Rep. Trent Kelly, Miss., placed Garland squarely in their crosshairs.  

‘No one is above the law. I heard that yesterday. No one is above the law and that includes the Attorney General and the seventh floor of the FBI,’ Kelly said. 

‘Attorney Garland goes out and says that no one is above the law. I agree with that statement. No one is that includes you, Attorney General Garland,’ Mullin added. ‘That includes you, [FBI Director Chris Wray], and I’m here to tell you that the Democrats don’t hold you accountable for your actions, the Republican Party will.’ 

Garland on Thursday held a news conference where he revealed that he had approved the raid on Mar-a-Lago and defended the FBI’s integrity.   

He said the DOJ moved to make the search warrant public ‘in light of the former president’s public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter.’

Garland took no questions but went out of his way to criticize the recent verbal attacks and threats against law enforcement in the wake of the ‘raid.’ 

‘Let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the FBI and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,’ the Biden official said.

‘Men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day, they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves.’

Trump had until 3 p.m. Friday to object to the release of the warrant, which must be unsealed by Monday. It may be heavily redacted, however, particularly if it relates to confidential information. 

Trump announced his stance in a post on his Truth Social network. ‘Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the un American, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents,’ he wrote.

Trump added that he encouraged the warrant’s release even though it was ‘drawn up by radical left Democrats and possible future political opponents, who have a strong and vested interest in attacking me.’

He also compared reports the information pertained to nuclear weapons to Russian collusion allegations. 

‘Nuclear weapons issue is a Hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia was a Hoax, two Impeachments were a Hoax, the Mueller investigation was a Hoax, and much more,’ Trump wrote Friday morning.

He added: ‘Same sleazy people involved. Why wouldn’t the FBI allow the inspection of areas at Mar-a-Lago with our lawyer’s, or others, present. Made them wait outside in the heat, wouldn’t let them get even close – said “ABSOLUTELY NOT.” Planting information anyone? Reminds me of a Christofer (sic) Steele Dossier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turner on the affidavit: It should be released to us 

‘It depends on what the nucular information is. You can say nuclear weapons, but there are things that are highly highly classified. There are things that are not extremely classified.’ 

Turner on if there are circumstances where a raid would be justified as it pertains to nuclear weapons: It would be very narrow 

Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): What makes you think we should trust the FBI?..where have they earned that trust

TRENT KELLY – No one is above the law. I heard that yesterday. No one is above the law and that includes the Attorney General and the seventh floor of the FBI

MARKWAYNE MULLIN Attorney garland goes out and says that no one is above the law. I agree with that statement. No one is that includes you. Attorney General garland. That includes you, Director Ray, and I’m here to tell you that the Democrats don’t hold you accountable for your actions. The Republican Party wi

 

STEWART – Was it nuclear? Was it, hey heck, maybe it was aliens – that’s the point. we don’t know. were asking them to tell us. 

BRIAN FITZ There is a continuum of options available to any agency that’s enforcing the law from non invasive methods like the passive service of a subpoena with a production date and or appearance state all the way up to the most extreme, which would be the execution of a search warrant. 

So at some point, possibly today, possibly in the days to follow, you’re going to see the release of both the warrant which is the top page you’re gonna see beneath that potentially a rider of items to be seized in areas to be searched. And then the property receipt that the Evidence Response Team the investigating agents would have filled out and returned left a copy at the residence and returned to the court. If it’s redacted, which I suspect it will be I don’t expect it to glean too much other than the statute. They’re investigating potentially 1924 and or others. The real story will be with the release of the affidavit itself.

There’s a lot of steps you can take in between, for example, forthwith subpoena where you would show up, serve a subpoena but demand instant production then in there, the Bureau and the Attorney General and the DOJ obviously made the decision that this extreme measure was necessary. We will await their rationale as to why that extreme measure was justified and not some lesser intrusive means

 

STEFANIK 

American people are smart, and they have had enough. It is unfortunately why there was a fundamental lack of trust in these agencies and the American people deserve answers. A House Republican majority will leave no stone unturned when it comes to transparency and accountability into the brazen politicization of Joe Biden’s DOJ and FBI targeting their political opponent