FBI, 2022: No probable cause for Mar-a-Lago raid

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

The FBI in summer 2022 raised repeated objections to raiding Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, warning agents did not believe the Biden Justice Department had enough evidence to establish "probable cause" that the then-former president had broken the law in handling classified documents, according to bombshell memos turned over Tuesday to Congress.

"WFO [FBI's Washington Field Office] has conducted approximately [Redacted] interviews related to this matter. Very little has been developed related to who might be culpable for mishandling the documents," a June 1, 2022 FBI memo declared. "From the interviews, WFO has gathered information suggesting that there may be additional boxes (presumably of the same type as were sent back to NARA [National Archives] in January) at Mar-a-Lago."

"WFO has been drafting a Search Warrant affidavit related to these potential boxes, but has some concerns that the information is single source, has not been corroborated, and may be dated. DOJ CES [Counterintelligence and Export Control Section] opines, however, that the SWs [search warrants] meet the probable cause standard," that memo read.


https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/6abombshell-fbi-memos-show-agents-didnt-believe-doj-had-probable

[SVPete]

FBI repeatedly warned DOJ didn't have probable cause to raid Trump home: 'Not been corroborated'

https://justthenews.com/accountability/political-ethics/6abombshell-fbi-memos-show-agents-didnt-believe-doj-had-probable

...

A few weeks later, FBI agents raised more concerns, including about the legality searching Trump's personal residence at the Mar-a-Lago residence, the memos show.

I let them (Biden DOJ) know we are not in agreement for PC (probably cause) on the SW (search warrant) and that we already had an Ops Plan in place that will/can be quickly updated between FBI/MM and FBI/WF," the July 2022 memo said. "However, WF- does not believe we havee PC for the 45 0ffice or the bedroom due to recency and issues of boxes versus classified information. Therefore, as we are in disagreement on the SW and its scope, we are not yet finalizing a SW as we are missing relevant logistics and details."

Summarizing, if I understand this correctly, the actual field office people did not believe there was probably cause for the search warrant. LIEden's DOJ, however, found a cooperative judge and ordered the search in spite of the lack of probable cause.