Judge may keep entire Mar-a-Lago affidavit under wraps -- to protect Trump's safety
A federal judge signaled he may prefer to keep the entire Mar-A-Lago affidavit under seal to protect former President Donald Trump's safety.
Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart filed a written motion stating his decision to consider unsealing portions of the affidavit used to justify a search warrant for Trump's private resort, but he noted that the affidavit would reveal details about Mar-A-Lago that could prevent the Secret Service from properly protecting the former president.
"The Affidavit discusses physical aspects of the Premises, which is a location protected by the United States Secret Service," Reinhart wrote. "Disclosure of those details could affect the Secret Service’s ability to carry out its protective function. This factor weighs in favor of sealing."
The judge gave the Department of Justice a deadline of Thursday to produce a redacted form of the affidavit, which he would then consider whether to remove the seal, and Reinhart said he was satisfied that facts laid out by investigators were accurate.
"Having carefully reviewed the Affidavit before signing the Warrant, I was — and am — satisfied that the facts sworn by the affiant are reliable," the judge wrote. "So, releasing the Affidavit to the public would not cause false information to be disseminated. There is no indication that the Intervenors seek these records for any illegitimate purpose."
Media organizations have asked the court to release the affidavit, and Reinhart noted that Trump's own lawyers did not join that legal effort.
"Neither Former President Trump nor anyone else purporting to be the owner of the Premises has filed a pleading taking a position on the Intervenors’ Motions to Unseal," Reinhart wrote.
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