DOJ asks a federal judge to keep the Mar-a-Lago affidavit SECRET

August 15, 2022

There’s one document Democrats, Republicans, the media and lots of you all agree you want to see from the search of Mar-a-Lago.

But according to this document filed today in federal court — the Department of Justice is asking a federal judge to say no.

That document everyone wants to see is the affidavit that lays out in detail the probable cause DOJ says it has that a crime may have been committed. It’s that detailed affidavit that the federal judge in Florida used to sign off on the search warrant of Mar-a-Lago in the first place.

Of course, I told you in this video on Friday, the search warrant and the FBI inventory list from the Mar-a-Lago search was released…but the affidavit was not.

Why?

In today’s filing — DOJ says “there remain compelling reasons including to protect the integrity of an ongoing law enforcement investigation that implicates national security, that support keeping the affidavit sealed.”

DOJ lays out their objections to unsealing the affidavit in three main categories, –one–they say the affidavit release would jeopardize their ongoing criminal investigation by giving a “roadmap to the government’s ongoing investigation…that is highly likely to compromise future investigative steps.” Two– it would have “devastating consequences” for the reputations and rights of individuals” who have been involved so far like witnesses with highly sensitive information and would likely cause them to stop cooperating and would also dissuade others from coming forward in this investigation and in *other* investigations. And –three–DOJ says the case involves “highly classified materials” and documents which further underscores the need to protect the integrity of the investigation so it doesn’t damage national security.

Is this normal? Or is DOJ just trying to be sneaky?

Well, I don’t assume anyone’s motivation but I can tell you —  generally in any average law enforcement investigation anywhere in this country the details – including affidavits like this — are not made public especially in the beginning stages before an indictment comes down or charges are filed. Mostly so as not to prejudice the case and to protect the rights of the person law enforcement is investigating.

Now, it’s important to know — just because we haven’t seen this affidavit yet, doesn’t mean we won’t….if charges are filed we may ultimately see it. But for now, we’ll just have to wait and see what the judge rules.

Read the DOJ motion filed today here.