Stop Taking Trump's Word For It. Demand To See The Warrant

By Susie Madrak — August 10, 2022

Why on earth are journalists so willing to let Trump's version of the Mar-A-Lago search stand?

Free lede for any newsroom that needs it.

WASHINGTON, August 9. Former president Donald Trump has so far refused to release the warrant served on him Monday, keeping voters in the dark, and creating an information vacuum that supporters have filled with threats and accusations. https://t.co/nAbbaXAIG1

— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) August 9, 2022

That's right. All he has to do is release the warrant. And every single Trump surrogate should be hit by journalists with that question, again and again: "Then why doesn't he release the warrant?"

Fox News is reacting to the Mar-a-Lago search like it's The Purge so I turned their coverage into a horror movie trailer: pic.twitter.com/0hltdyHFPV

— Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) August 9, 2022

Trump not only has a copy of the warrant, which lists under which charges was the warrant approved, but he has an itemized list of every single item the FBI took! If this is a politicized attack, all he has to do is show us.

And once again, a dangerously gullible and servile media bows to whatever version of reality he presents. They continue to fail the public interest.

As a former FBI agent, this is a big deal. We didn’t execute search warrants of this magnitude/scale unless we had a mountain of cause to back it up https://t.co/AAswkiqN21

— Tracy Walder (@tracy_walder) August 8, 2022

People have to stop calling it a "raid."

It was a lawful search pursuant to a warrant.

Don't let Trump and pals frame the messaging.

— Teri Kanefield (@Teri_Kanefield) August 9, 2022

Yep. When I tell you that political journalists are failing you, this is what I mean. https://t.co/ZYbs3GivQf

— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) August 10, 2022

Oh yeah, remember this? Journalists should be REMINDING HIM EVERY TIME HE OPENS HIS DAMN MOUTH:

“After calling for Hillary Clinton to be jailed, in 2018 Trump signed a law that stiffened the penalty for the unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents from one year to five years, turning it into a felony offense”

https://t.co/a1axPvz7nb

— Mike Walker (@New_Narrative) August 10, 2022

The law prohibits DOJ from discussing a search warrant that is under seal. Secrecy rules are designed to protect the person under investigation. You know who could discuss it? Donald Trump, who would have received a copy of the inventory of items seized. https://t.co/NxAT78Oyhm

— Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) August 10, 2022

If @LeaderMcConnell wants transparency, he should demand Trump release the warrant returns describing the 10 boxes of materials FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) August 9, 2022

If you’re calling on the Justice Department to publicly discuss — and defend — an ongoing criminal investigation, but not calling on former President Trump to publicly disclose a copy of the search warrant, you’re telling on yourself.

— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) August 9, 2022

Study the long-established FOJ rules of federal procedure. They are not allowed to discuss an ongoing investigation. It violates all professional ethic. On the other hand, Trump could voluntarily share the info in the warrant. Frame the narrative as it actually is. https://t.co/J5O87N1Sw0

— David Simon (@AoDespair) August 10, 2022