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REPORT: FBI Agent In Charge Of Mar-a-Lago Raid Had ‘Strong Concerns’ About Operation

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1 year ago

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A recent letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland disclosed that an FBI agent in charge of the raid on Mar-a-Lago, the residence of former President Donald Trump, had “strong concerns” about the operation. The letter, written by Jim Jordan, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, explains the Committee’s grave concerns about the upcoming indictment and arraignment of Trump.

As a result, the Committee raises the issue of a potential double standard, especially considering the Department of Justice’s decision not to indict former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden for mishandling classified information. The letter also questions whether the prosecution is politically motivated.

The concerns expressed in the letter are reinforced by information obtained during a transcribed interview with Steven D’Antuono, the former Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office (WFO), who played a senior role in the raid on Mar-a-Lago. D’Antuono, with over two decades of FBI experience, voiced his frustration, stating that the FBI was being “left holding the bag again” regarding the search of President Trump’s residence.

During the interview, D’Antuono highlighted several irregularities in the Department’s handling of the case:

  1. Assignment of the search warrant execution to the Washington Field Office instead of the Miami Field Office, where the search took place: D’Antuono questioned the decision, stating that the FBI’s headquarters is not supposed to work the investigations. He expressed his confusion as to why the Miami Field Office, which would typically handle cases in that region, was not taking the lead on this matter.
  2. The absence of a U.S. Attorney’s Office assigned to the matter: D’Antuono found it unusual for a case of this magnitude not to have a U.S. Attorney assigned to it. He raised this concern with Department officials but did not receive a satisfactory answer. Instead, he was informed that the National Security Division would be handling the matter, with Jay Bratt, who leads the Department’s counterintelligence division, serving as the lead prosecutor.
  3. The FBI’s failure to seek consent before executing the search: D’Antuono believed that the FBI should have attempted to obtain consent from President Trump before resorting to a search warrant. He emphasized that seeking consent would have been the best approach for all parties involved, including the FBI, President Trump, and the country as a whole.
  4. Exclusion of President Trump’s attorney from the search: D’Antuono disagreed with the FBI’s decision to exclude President Trump’s attorney, believing that they should have worked with the attorney to seek consent before obtaining a search warrant. He expressed his belief that there was a good likelihood of obtaining consent if proper communication had taken place.

In light of the testimony and the department’s refusal to provide the requested information, the committee renewed its request for documents related to the raid. They specifically request documents and communications pertaining to meetings between FBI and Justice Department officials, the execution of the search warrant, and any correspondence involving key individuals connected to the case.

With jurisdiction over the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the committee hopes the requested information be provided by 5:00 p.m. on June 16, 2023.

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The letter concludes by emphasizing that the Committee’s oversight responsibilities require a thorough examination of the department’s actions and the need for transparency. It remains to be seen how or if the Department of Justice will respond to the Committee’s request.



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