Orange County’s Republican congressional representatives want to know more about why FBI agents searched former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home in Florida earlier this week.
Congresswomen Young Kim and Michelle Steel both said Wednesday, Aug. 10, the FBI should provide more details about the search, which Trump has called a “raid.”
The FBI executed a search warrant on Monday at the Palm Beach residence as part of the probe into whether he kept confidential documents after leaving the White House.
“I find the lack of information from the FBI very troubling and believe Attorney General (Merrick) Garland owes the American people a swift and thorough explanation for why this unprecedented raid took place at President Trump’s personal home,” said Steel.
“To maintain trust in our federal law enforcement agencies, the FBI and Department of Justice owe full transparency to the American people on why an unprecedented raid of a former president’s home was authorized,” Kim said. “Congress should be ready to use oversight authority to get to the truth.”
Both Kim and Steel are running for re-election this year. The Cook Political Report’s latest analysis ranked Kim’s 40th District seat as “likely Republican” whereas it had Steel’s 45th District seat as “lean Republican.”
Republican officials were quick to defend Trump — and criticize law enforcement — in the wake of the search.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, warned Republicans would, in turn, investigate the Justice Department if they take back the House this year.
“I’ve seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization,” McCarthy said. “Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar.”
GOP Rep. Jay Obernolte of Big Bear Lake called on the Justice Department to “immediately produce the evidence they relied on in taking the unprecedented action of searching the home of a former president.”
“Failure to do so will only confirm the suspicions of many that this was a politically motivated action against a potential presidential candidate by an administration of the opposite party,” said Obernolte.
Republicans have increased their criticism of the FBI and DOJ since the start of Trump’s presidency in 2017 after it was revealed the FBI had investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible ties between the country and Trump’s campaign. Trump fired former FBI Director James Comey in 2017, less than halfway into his 10-year term.
However, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said Monday’s search only underscored that “no person is above the law.”
“We believe in the rule of law. That’s what our country is about,” Pelosi said during a recent interview. “And no person is above the law. Not even the president of the United States. Not even a former president of the United States.”
On Wednesday, Trump testified under oath as part of the New York attorney general’s civil investigation into his business dealings where he reportedly continually invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination.
Staff writer Jeff Horseman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Source: Orange County Register
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