Media reports that the Biden White House was “stunned” last year to learn that the FBI conducted its unprecedented raid on former President Donald Trump’s Florida residence may be far from the truth.
That’s the explosive revelation from judicial watchdog America First Legal (AFL). Their investigation uncovered startling new information on a “special access request” presented by the White House last year on behalf of the Justice Department.
SHOCKING — It appears that the Biden White House and DOJ coordinated to obtain the records at President Trump’s home, Mar-a-Lago, and perhaps create a pretext for the law enforcement raid by way of a “special access request.”
AFL is taking action:https://t.co/JapM7ZFq4k
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) April 10, 2023
The goal was to give the FBI access to National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) documents.
In a press release, AFL noted that the August 8, 2022 raid of Mar-a-Lago was carried out to determine if potentially classified records were kept in the Trump home. Far from the pretended shock expressed by the administration, the release said the White House was deeply involved.
The release states that new records acquired by AFL’s investigation “further confirmed that the FBI obtained access to these records through a ‘special access request’ from the Biden White House on behalf of the DOJ.”
Further, AFL alleges that the administration and DOJ worked together to “perhaps create a pretext for the law enforcement raid by way of the ‘special access request.’”
The organization, along with revealing that the White House played a significant role in setting up the former president, showed the National Archives misled legislators about the participation of the Biden administration.
“Significant legal concerns” are also raised by the link between the White House and law enforcement actions against Trump. Exactly what was the extent of the White House’s role in acting “on behalf” of the DOJ in gathering information to justify the raid?
As AFL explained, the special access statute only applies when an incumbent president needs records for “the conduct of current business” of the administration. It is a stretch to say that raiding Trump’s home was the “current business” of the White House.
AFL strongly urged NARA to produce all records related to the political foundation of the unprecedented raid on the residence of a former president. As it stands, the FBI actions now appear to be a continuation of the Biden policy of weaponizing agencies against political opponents.
