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Release Whole Affidavit

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2022
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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affidavit

A heavily redacted version of the 38-page affidavit behind the search warrant used to raid former President Trump’s home was released last week. Big questions remain, suggesting the whole affidavit needs to be released. Stakes are too high, and the public has a right to know.

First, releasing the affidavit – redacted as it is – does not satisfy the question on all minds, one that demands an answer: Why did the FBI, with approval of the Attorney General and presumptive White House knowledge, go after a former president and potential candidate in 2024, 90 days before a midterm election?

In legal terms, what was the overwhelming exigency that compelled the raid, facts that demanded 230 years of democratic and legal precedent, accommodation of Article II, respect for former presidents, constitutional caselaw – be thrown away?

What was the heinous criminal act – rumored by unnamed FBI sources to be “nuclear” or “treason,” just the way Hillary pitched Trump’s involvement with Russia as horrible and the FBI trafficked in those rumors – that justified this raid?

The answer cannot be “Trump is different” or “just give us time” or “we have to study the documents.”  There are not that many documents, the case cannot be that complicated, the big difference looks increasingly like: This was a political hit.

Second, having travelled the world as an Assistant Secretary under Colin Powell pushing rule of law, my plea to world leaders was always to abide rule of law, do not let politics infect your justice system, or you will lose it all. 

My plea was root out political corruption, walk a wide circle around the perception of it. Understand that democracies, republics, countries with governments of all kinds fall to public corruption. Public trust plummets on the suspicion of it.

So, what have we here? We have an FBI and Justice Department that break all historic norms, do something never done in America, raid a former president’s home – home of a leading contender for the White House from the opposing party.

We have a White House that goes radio silent, says nothing, lets the charade play out as if ordinary law enforcement, as if nothing to see here, nothing worthy of comment – just insinuation, imagination, and condemnation. The president, who typically gives a predecessor comity and executive privilege, is silent.

Third, this whole scenario is damning. You have the rollout of an unannounced raid on a former president based on a warrant for search and seizure signed by a partisan who recused himself for anti-Trump bias weeks ago.

You have a raid that occurs mid-stream in a dialogue with the former president’s attorneys over document production, with no apparent or announced exigent circumstances, and a raid filled with theater – unnecessary show of force.

You have a search and seizure that are extraordinarily intrusive and broad, even by normal standards. That means the affidavit is either detailed and justified that unprecedented intrusion and breadth – in which case the American people need to see why, or it was an illegal “general warrant,” that is, a “fishing expedition,” justified in somebody’s mind, but utterly illegal, a politically corrupt act.

Fourth, the only defense to the evolution we have seen is filing substantive charges backed by hard evidence of something wildly out of character – an anti-American act of treason by a former president – or release of the whole affidavit.

Why is this so important right now? Because this act is so anti-American in nature, something we do not do, have never done, and which cannot stand. Either a charge gets brought with particularity and credible evidence, or the substance of the affidavit gets released. Absent these two, more over time will suspect politics.

If the substance of the affidavit is suppressed and no credible evidence for espionage is presented – if the whole thing simmers around “document mishandling,” administrative details of the Presidential Documents Act, or the Russia-collusion probe “obstruction,” this becomes very serious, very fast.

Some will say, “why is knowing what is in the affidavit important?” or “why can’t it wait?” or “why can’t we trust the political leadership?” or “why not let the FBI search some others?” or “isn’t it enough to just have mishandling?”

The answer is – this is different. Seeing the guts of the affidavit – given the high stakes, public perception, political history, deep suspicions, eroding trust, rising concern – is the only way this administration puts this fire out, short of charges.

For many, nondisclosure implies something is being hidden, like: There is no meat in the affidavit. Trust in political leadership at FBI and Justice is already in “freefall.” Taking time is ordinary, but not here – since public trust is at risk.

Fifth, mishandling of information occurs all over Washington, not least on the Hill. It is not a basis for invading a presidential home, throwing out 230 years of constitutional precedent, respect for the Fourth Amendment, and historic comity.

The public has a right to know. The guts of the affidavit should be released, or charges brought with evidence. Suspicion grows that there is “No there – there,” that this is all political. If true, that is a tragedy. If not, release the whole thing.

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Max
Max
2 years ago

RBC, overall, the FBI incursion into Pres. Trump’s life and residence, was a political move by the powers in charge, to throw as much discredit onto the Pres. Trump’s credibility. THIS INCIDENT by the DOJ and FBI should have never happened under NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. The new norm is showing its ugly head for what is in store for the nation for the near future. The powers in charge are going to continue their persecution of Pres. Trump and the supporters to keep the American public off balance so their evil agenda to destroy this nation can continue.

David Millikan
David Millikan
2 years ago

DICTATOR Beijing biden and FBI are CLUCKING cause they don’t want AMERICA to know TRUTH that FBI RAID on PRESIDENT TRUMP’S home WAS ILLEGAL and UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
DICTATOR Beijing biden AUTHORIZED RAID and IS CAUGHT RED-HANDED COMMITTING TREASON AGAIN and ATTACKING an AMERICAN PRESIDENT ILLEGALLY and UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
How long is AMERICA going to keep putting up with a ILLEGAL and UNCONSTITUTIONAL president in White House who commits TREASON EVERY DAY since 1-20-21?

Larry D Mordica
Larry D Mordica
2 years ago

OK bear with me ! Trump files the RICO lawsuit. This is against people who was involved in Crossfire hurricane investigation .This would include Hillary, Biden and Obama !!! Within a week they had a search warrant . Maybe they needed to find out what information he had???? And then there is this little fact that he declassified all the documents on his last day in office!!! And then the Jan 6 hearings. It has come out that the capital police knew that BLM/Antifa was boarding busses dressed as trump supporters coming to the capital on Jan 6, as you can tell the media hasn’t jumped on this story!!! Anyway google capital police knew BLM/Antifa coming to capital on Jan 6! You can read it there!!!

anna hubert
anna hubert
2 years ago

Heavily redacted, that is a red flag that explains the rot. It’s putrid That pathetic pitiful smallness of the whole affair ,grasping at the thin air anything to destroy the man and then, to stand in front of the nation and not feel the shame .

Rik
Rik
2 years ago

Monkey see, Monkey do! . . . If and when Trump or any Republican is elected President, then Biden, Obama AND Hillary should EXPECT their day in Court as well!

phr
phr
2 years ago

I simply do not believe anything coming out of the current administrative white house. Too many of our questions on a myriad of topics are being ignored. They cannot all be ‘classified’. These are career politicians whose continued “profitable shenanigans” are threatened by a Trump administration. Listen, Trump earned his wealth. He is not a politician. That fact was what drew my interest when he announced his candidacy. Given what the FBI has done most recently, WE SHOULD ALL HAVE VALID CONCERN THAT THE LEFT/DEMOCRAT/ANTI-AMERICAN ENEMY WILL TRY TO STEAL ALL ELECTIONS GOING FORWARD.

Angela malo
Angela malo
2 years ago

The left will never leave Donald trump alone until they truly break him. He stands between the good people and socialism from this administration

David
David
2 years ago

The democratic party has become a 3rd world corrupt Banana republic dictatorship. And Joe Biden is the pied piper.

Mike
Mike
2 years ago

Sad to say , but this is the straw that broke the camel’s back. Our government is corrupt. How can any American with common sense trust the FBI , and our “ elected “ president , and his administration ? This is happening before our own eyes , and it has to stop . They have no respect for a former president , and his family. President Trump must have a ton of corruption on these creatures who supposedly work for “WE THE PEOPLE” . Will the truth ever come out ?

Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis
2 years ago

I want to know why Hillary is not in jail for her email server? I want to know why Hunter Biden is not in jail? I demand justice be blind and equal for all!!!!!!!!

HocasPocas
HocasPocas
2 years ago

If they can do that to Trump, what do they have in store for us

Don
Don
2 years ago

Let us be correct in our terminology. This is NOT a tragedy. This is an atrocity! And, according to Col. Jeff Cooper, the proper response to a tragedy is sorrow, while the proper response to an atrocity is rage! And that rage must be directed at those responsible for the atrocity. Those at the top of this administration, the DOJ and the FBI, as well as the magistrate who willing participated instead of recusing himself as he had in the past on matters concerning his political bias.

johnh
johnh
2 years ago

The affidavit should remain redacted as such. This is needed to protect the identities of the FBI agents & others involved in this case. Wait until all of the info comes out before you take sides. It appears to me that maybe Trump was not cooperating & I thought that elected officials took oath when they took office on the proper way to handle Top Secret/Classified documents. So , why were they not turned into the FBI the first time around???

johnh
johnh
2 years ago

Good article, but I want to hear from Donald Trump himself why he took classified info to Maralago in the first place. Inquiring minds want to know.

johnh
johnh
2 years ago

The names in affidavit must remain redacted. There are too many Republicans & radicals that are vendicitive against people on the other side of issues. Just take a look at the attack on Cincinnati FBI office after the initial raid (and ended with suicide by FBI agents). Some of the people are probably still working at Maralago & must remain anonymous.

johnh
johnh
2 years ago

In 2018 POTUS Donald Trump signed a bill making it a felony to misuse classified material. Will be interesting to see how this one shakes out………………

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