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Opinion

The FBI raided Trump’s home because he gave them no choice

Dr. Rashad Richey National TV Political Analyst, Talk Radio Host, Univ. Prof.
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The FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate happened after Attorney General Merrick Garland personally signed off on getting a search warrant. The unprecedented search sparked Republican outrage and fueled violent rhetoric online. Why would the bureau feel compelled to send federal agents to the former president’s home? Straight Arrow News contributor Rashad Richey says it appears clear Trump had classified documents that he refused to hand over.

Does anyone find it problematic that a former president of the United States refused to turn over classified documents? Remember, a few months ago, it was revealed that Donald Trump had about 15 boxes, that he should not have. Fifteen boxes full of information, full of documentation, full of things that actually belonged to the government, by way of the National Archives. So according to the latest report, they straightened that out, but it looks like other information was being withheld. Now, the department that’s overseeing this particular investigation, this federal raid, well, that office deals with national security, nine times out of 10. That means they’re dealing with what classified information?

Here’s a question. And I have to pose it for the record. Why would a former president of the United States, a known capitalist, an individual that is prone to corruption, why would he decide to flee the White House with classified information? Why would he not turn it over when mandated to do so by the United States government after he was president? Do you know what it takes to get a warrant like this, especially a warrant against a former United States president? It takes a lot.

You have probable cause that must be established by the evidence. You have a judge that must put a signature on the warrant. And you have to believe that issuing a subpoena will not produce the documents. Remember, if the President, the former president, is holding classified information, and he is unwilling to turn it over, that means the Department of Justice believes that the president, the former president, would not actually adhere to a federal subpoena.

Okay, Donald Trump had his home raided. Let’s talk about this, because Republicans are outraged. And all of a sudden now, Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, they want to defund the police. I mean, defund the FBI. You have lawmakers in Florida, who are now calling for the state of Florida, to basically arrest FBI agents and to change their laws and the constitution of Florida, so that the federal government cannot operate on the inside of the state of Florida is quite ridiculous. But let’s look at the premise here.

Does anyone find it problematic that a former president of the United States refused to turn over classified documents? Remember, a few months ago, it was revealed that Donald Trump had about 15 boxes, that he should not have. Fifteen boxes full of information, full of documentation, full of things that actually belonged to the government, by way of the National Archives. So according to the latest report, they straightened that out, but it looks like other information was being withheld. Now, the department that’s overseeing this particular investigation, this federal raid, well, that office deals with national security, nine times out of 10. That means they’re dealing with what classified information?

Here’s a question. And I have to pose it for the record. Why would a former president of the United States, a known capitalist, an individual that is prone to corruption, why would he decide to flee the White House with classified information? Why would he not turn it over when mandated to do so by the United States government after he was president? Do you know what it takes to get a warrant like this, especially a warrant against a former United States president? It takes a lot.

You have probable cause that must be established by the evidence. You have a judge that must put a signature on the warrant. And you have to believe that issuing a subpoena will not produce the documents. Remember, if the president the former president is holding classified information, and he is unwilling to turn it over, that means the Department of Justice believes that the President, the former president, would not actually adhere to a federal subpoena.

Why would trump keep the damn documents? Why did Trump make a statement that talked about everything but the documents? Talked about Hillary Clinton’s email, did not talk about why he’s holding on to classified information. Other Republican surrogates are coming out blaming the FBI but not talking about the substance of the accusation.

The accusation is very clear. Donald Trump was holding documents he should not have had access to. He was told to turn them over. He decided not to. And the DOJ is saying they did not believe that if he was issued a subpoena for the documents, he would have turned them over. Now based on other information we have. Trump will either try to flush documents down the toilet or hide them. Okay.

Why was Trump holding on to classified information? Was he trying to blackmail somebody? Question has to be posed. Was he looking to sell it to a bidder at some point in the near future? You have to imagine there’s a cause and effect relationship here. Donald Trump would not simply hold on to documents without a reason. He would not simply hide classified information without there being a reason. The question is now: What compelled a former president of the United States of America to hold on to classified documents inside of his home and not hand them over as he was mandated to do?

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