The subject of the Mar-a-Lago affidavit has been a sticky one ever since the news of the FBI search warrant raid against ex-President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach compound went public. While many media organizations, watchdog groups, and the American public have called for the affidavit to be unsealed and released, it seems Donald Trump and his legal team have been wishy-washy on the matter — apparently torn between their desperation to know who the Mar-a-Lago mole is, while not wanting any more of Trump’s dirty laundry aired out than what already has been.
But a new court filing from a federal judge today seems to indicate a serious possibility that no one will get what they’re hoping for in this situation, as it looks as though the affidavit could remain sealed and unreleased — and it appears that the judge’s reasoning for this possible upcoming decision has a lot to do with Donald Trump’s safety.
In a written court motion filed by Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the federal judge states his decision to consider unsealing and making public certain portions of the affidavit document that served as the driving force behind the FBI search warrant against Trump’s Mar-a-Lago country club that he now calls home, that was handed down by the US Justice Department and personally signed off on by Attorney General Merrick Garland himself. However, Reinhart made clear note of the fact that unsealing the affidavit would serve to expose key details about the ex-President’s Palm Beach resort that could ultimately make it difficult for Secret Service agents to properly protect the former US president at his place of residence.
“The Affidavit discusses physical aspects of the Premises, which is a location protected by the United States Secret Service,” Reinhart’s court motion reads. “Disclosure of those details could affect the Secret Service’s ability to carry out its protective function. This factor weighs in favor of sealing.”
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Ultimately, Judge Reinhart gave the Justice Department a Thursday deadline to produce a redacted version of the affidavit for his review. Upon reviewing the redacted version of the document, he will then determine whether he will sign off on unsealing and publicizing the information. Reinhart notes in his motion that he is satisfied with the accuracy of the information, facts, and evidence that was laid out by investigators in the affidavit document.
“Having carefully reviewed the Affidavit before signing the Warrant, I was — and am — satisfied that the facts sworn by the affiant are reliable,” the federal judge writes. “So, releasing the Affidavit to the public would not cause false information to be disseminated. There is no indication that the Intervenors seek these records for any illegitimate purpose.”
Despite some apparent indecisiveness from Trump’s legal team amid calls from media organizations to unseal and release the information, Reinhart notes in his motion that attorneys on behalf of the scandal-ridden ex-president did not join legal efforts to unseal the affidavit.
“Neither Former President Trump nor anyone else purporting to be the owner of the Premises has filed a pleading taking a position on the Intervenors’ Motions to Unseal,” Reinhart’s court motion reads.
Read the full written court motion from Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart on the matter here.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
