Republicans may have shot themselves in the foot by hammering the DOJ to release the Mar-a-Lago search warrant
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Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday at a news conference that the Justice Department has filed a motion to unseal portions of the warrant following Trump's "public confirmation of the search."
But legal experts and political strategists warn that Trump's allies may have bitten off more than they could chew and that the maneuver could ultimately backfire on the former president and his party as this year's midterm elections loom. "Republican strategists have no clue how bad this is gonna be yet," said Luis Alvarado, a longtime GOP consultant.
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"They were saying it and crossing their fingers and hoping they don't turn around and release that information immediately," Alvardo told Insider. "Because right now, we still have primaries that are happening around the country. And they don't want that to fill the space."
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Shortly after the department's motion was filed Thursday, magistrate judge Bruce Reinhart ordered the DOJ to confer with Trump's lawyers and let the court know by Friday afternoon if Trump's team agrees with or objects to the government's request to unseal.
In other words, the department's motion will force Trump to put up or shut up. "Brilliant move by Garland: make motion to unseal everything including material Trump has already (warrant and return); so now the ball is in his court to object or consent," Andrew Weissmann, a former FBI general counsel who later worked on the Mueller investigation, tweeted after Garland's news conference. "Called Trump's bluff."
David Weinstein, a Miami criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, told Insider that even if the department's motion to unseal is denied, Republicans could still regret pressuring the DOJ because it will inadvertently put more pressure on Trump and his lawyers to produce their copy of the search warrant.
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"Trump and his lawyers have a copy of the search warrant that lists exactly what laws the FBI believes and the Department of Justice believes have been violated," Weinstein said. "So if they wanted to show that to the world, they're afraid to do so.
And quite frankly, if it was just the presidential records, I think they'd be waving it around like an American flag." Gene Rossi, a longtime former federal prosecutor, also told Insider this week that he would be "shocked" if the affidavit supporting the warrant didn't include probable cause suggesting Trump violated other laws including statutes against obstruction, insurrection, sedition, and more.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/republicans-may-sh...07212.html
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217031576
(snip)
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday at a news conference that the Justice Department has filed a motion to unseal portions of the warrant following Trump's "public confirmation of the search."
But legal experts and political strategists warn that Trump's allies may have bitten off more than they could chew and that the maneuver could ultimately backfire on the former president and his party as this year's midterm elections loom. "Republican strategists have no clue how bad this is gonna be yet," said Luis Alvarado, a longtime GOP consultant.
(snip)
"They were saying it and crossing their fingers and hoping they don't turn around and release that information immediately," Alvardo told Insider. "Because right now, we still have primaries that are happening around the country. And they don't want that to fill the space."
(snip)
Shortly after the department's motion was filed Thursday, magistrate judge Bruce Reinhart ordered the DOJ to confer with Trump's lawyers and let the court know by Friday afternoon if Trump's team agrees with or objects to the government's request to unseal.
In other words, the department's motion will force Trump to put up or shut up. "Brilliant move by Garland: make motion to unseal everything including material Trump has already (warrant and return); so now the ball is in his court to object or consent," Andrew Weissmann, a former FBI general counsel who later worked on the Mueller investigation, tweeted after Garland's news conference. "Called Trump's bluff."
David Weinstein, a Miami criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor, told Insider that even if the department's motion to unseal is denied, Republicans could still regret pressuring the DOJ because it will inadvertently put more pressure on Trump and his lawyers to produce their copy of the search warrant.
(snip)
"Trump and his lawyers have a copy of the search warrant that lists exactly what laws the FBI believes and the Department of Justice believes have been violated," Weinstein said. "So if they wanted to show that to the world, they're afraid to do so.
And quite frankly, if it was just the presidential records, I think they'd be waving it around like an American flag." Gene Rossi, a longtime former federal prosecutor, also told Insider this week that he would be "shocked" if the affidavit supporting the warrant didn't include probable cause suggesting Trump violated other laws including statutes against obstruction, insurrection, sedition, and more.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/republicans-may-sh...07212.html
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217031576
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