Trey Paul, FISM News
American First Legal (AFL), a national nonprofit organization, says its latest investigation uncovered evidence that shows Biden administration officials were involved in the raid of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home despite claiming otherwise.
Specifically, the AFL investigation confirms the FBI obtained access to the former president’s potentially classified records at Mar-a-Lago through a “special access request” from the Biden White House on behalf of the DOJ.
/1 🚨THREAD — records obtained from our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Mar-a-Lago raid further confirm that the FBI obtained access to these records through a “special access request” from the Biden White House on behalf of the DOJ.https://t.co/JapM7ZFq4k pic.twitter.com/O9fne5qRD1
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) April 10, 2023
This is a far cry from the tone set on August 9, 2022, when Biden administration officials said they were “stunned” to hear of the unprecedented raid of Mar-a-Lago.
AFL obtained the internal government documents pertaining to the raid through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Office of the Inspector General.
Researchers with AFL say that NARA was misleading because there are no substantial discrepancies between what NARA told Congress and what appears in its internal communications. They cited one such example involving Acting Archivist Debra Wall who told Rep. Mike Tuner (R-OH) that NARA “had not been involved in the DOJ investigation or any searchers that it has conducted.”
In addition to feeling that NARA was misguiding Congress about the White House’s role in the raid on Mar-a-Lago, AFL researchers also noted the Biden White House was acting “on behalf” of the DOJ which could blur legal lines.
The AFL investigation also noted that the authorization of a “special access request” falls under the special access statute, which applies to an incumbent president only when the records or documents in question are needed for “the conduct of current business” of the White House.
America First Legal Senior Counselor and Director of Oversight and Investigations Reed D. Rubinstein said AFL’s research proves that the Biden administration abused its power and then lied about it.
The evidence suggests that the ostensibly nonpartisan National Archives and Records Administration misled Congress about the Biden White House’s responsibility for the FBI’s raid of former President Trump’s home. The evidence further suggests that Biden officials in the Executive Office of the President and the Department of Justice unlawfully abused their power and then lied about it to the American people. This government, it seems, acknowledges no limits on its power to harass, intimidate, and silence its political opponents.
News of the results of this investigation angered conservative lawmakers, many of whom are demanding immediate accountability.
Congressman Ben Cline of Virginia tweeted, “The Biden administration ABUSED the power of the DOJ and the FBI to go after a former president. Then, they LIED about having any involvement. We need accountability NOW.”
The Biden administration ABUSED the power of the DOJ and the FBI to go after a former president.
Then, they LIED about having any involvement.
We need accountability NOW.
— Congressman Ben Cline (@RepBenCline) April 12, 2023
“This is a total abuse of power. The Biden admin shamelessly weaponized the FBI and DOJ to target Americans and even a former President, all at the expense of our justice system’s integrity. And they lied about doing it! We need accountability NOW,” Florida Senator Rick Scott added on social media:
As for accountability, American First Legal is demanding that NARA turn over any and all records pertaining to the Biden White House’s involvement in the raid of Trump’s home. The team announced it has launched a follow-up investigation.
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that American Legal filed can be found here.
AFL, which was launched by former Trump White House policy adviser Stephen Miller in 2021, is a national nonprofit organization whose stated mission is “to promote the rule of law in the United States.”