The Department of Justice rejected a request from House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) to disclose information related to the FBI search warrant and subsequent raid of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home last year.
Jordan initially requested access to information about the classified documents that were found during that search, including files and communications between the FBI Washington Field Office and the Secret Service before the raid was executed. The DOJ rebuffed much of Jordan’s request, arguing it could not share “non-public information about an ongoing criminal investigation and prosecution by a Special Counsel.”
COMPETING BIPARTISAN INSULIN BILLS AFFECTING SCHUMER-SANDERS HEALTHCARE DEAL
“Protecting the confidentiality of non-public information regarding investigations and prosecutions preserves the American people’s confidence in the evenhanded administration of justice by guarding against the appearance of political pressure or other improper attempts to influence Department decisions,” Assistant Attorney General Carlos Uriarte wrote in a letter to Jordan on Friday.
Jordan also requested information about which personnel was assigned to the case in an attempt to understand the scope of the Mar-a-Lago search last August. However, the department did provide limited information about special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the former president, telling Jordan “approximately 26 Special Agents” have worked “either full or part-time … in some capacity” up until March of this year.
Additionally, the department outlined the official orders appointing Smith and Robert Hur to lead the investigations into the classified documents found at President Joe Biden’s personal residence and office building.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Jordan’s request followed the release of the highly anticipated Durham Report, an examination of the FBI’s investigation into allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election. That report ultimately concluded the investigation was inherently flawed as there was no proper basis to conduct it in the first place. It also found that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign played an outsize role in pushing collusion claims to the media and to the FBI.
Jordan has not publicly responded to the DOJ’s response, and it remains unclear if he’ll continue to push for more information.
