The federal judge who decides to disclose the reasons why the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago, the residence of former President Donald Trump in Florida, is interested in publishing them but has not yet decided to do so.
In a document published this Monday, Judge Bruce Reinhart explained that he will wait for the text that he ordered the Prosecutor’s Office to deliver before next Thursday, hiding the most sensitive data that may affect the investigation.
Reinhart, who at the hearing last Thursday, in West Palm Beach, was inclined to publish the affidavit with sensitive parts hidden, says today that he will analyze the fact because it could result in the text being “meaningless” for the media that have requested its disclosure.
The affidavit describes the evidence that the Department of Justice relied on to justify the search of the former president’s house on August 8.
The judge indicated in that sense that he can agree with the prosecutors that any redaction of the original document would be so extensive that he would render the document useless.
“I cannot say at this time that the partial blackouts will be so extensive that they will result in meaningless disclosure, but I can finally come to that conclusion after hearing more from the Government,” Reinhart wrote.
He added that the Government has shown “good cause/compelling interest that overrides any public interest in disclosing the full contents of the Affidavit.”
In today’s 13-page document, the judge also assures that he “carefully” reviewed the “sworn statement” before signing the search warrant that authorized the FBI to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
He further stresses that the facts contained in the affidavit were “reliable” and that he “was and is” satisfied with his decision.
The released search warrant showed that Trump took classified material from the White House to his residence. Said order also pointed out the crimes in which he may be incurring: Violation of the Espionage Law, obstruction of justice and destruction of documents.