Federal Magistrate Judge Orders DOJ to Respond to Media...Requests to Unseal Trump Search Warrant

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/federal-magistrate-judge-orders-doj-to-respond-to-media-and-non-profit-requests-to-unseal-trump-search-warrant/

*snip*

In an email to Law&Crime, national security lawyer Bradley P. Moss said his opinion on whether the warrant would be unsealed had shifted from “no” to “probably not,” but only slightly.

“It is good that the judge ordered DOJ to publicly respond to the motion given the obvious public interest in the matter,” Moss wrote. “I highly expect DOJ however to rely on broad and conclusory claims about the harm to the ongoing investigation if the search warrant information is released, as well as the prejudicial impact it has on the target(s) of the warrant given there has not yet been an indictment.”

“This motion will very likely be denied,” former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tweeted – while pointing out that judicial intervention is not strictly necessary for the public to see the warrant. “Trump’s team can release the search warrant and the inventory of seized items at any time, however. The sealing order does not apply to them.”

After Judicial Watch filed their request, two media organizations – the Albany, New York-based Times Union and The New York Times – filed their own motions in the case regarding the warrant.

*snip*

Forcing the DOJ to unseat an investigative search warrant would be a huge gift to Trump. It could severely impact possible charges going forward.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. I'd imagine the 'response' will be ... "yeah, no we're not doing that"

And that will be that.

[Nevilledog]

2. Should be.

I'm telling you, as a defense attorney, that would be a gift. Putting the info out there so you can discredit it (they'll just lie). They'd taint the jury pool.

[MichMan]

3. Wouldnt the Trump attorneys releasing it have the same effect?

[former9thward]

5. Of course.

Let people see the facts and let the chips fall where they may.

[Nevilledog]

6. They should only have the receipt of property taken at this point.

I doubt they have the affidavit.

In AZ State court we had to file a specific discovery request, after a person was indicted, to get the search warrant affidavit. It was also quite common for police agencies to really, really drag their feet in turning over affidavits because it would often burn a source/informant they were still working.

I don't know enough about federal procedures to note the differences.


If I had to guess, there's stuff in the affidavit that neither side wants released into the wild.

[jaysunb]

4. +1. Nt

[Midnight Writer]

7. Trump has Bill Barr "editing" the warrant now for public release, just like the Mueller Report.

Joking. I'm joking.