America First Legal (AFL) has released documents suggesting the Biden White House's involvement in the prosecution of former President Trump over classified documents. These documents were obtained through an investigation into the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
According to AFL, a "special access request" from the Biden White House led to the FBI's raid on Mar-a-Lago in 2023. The Biden Administration previously stated that NARA referred the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for investigation in February 2022 after receiving classified documents from Mar-a-Lago.
However, AFL claims that by summer 2021, NARA was already planning action regarding Trump's records. Then-Archivist David Ferriero expressed impatience, and NARA General Counsel Gary Stern began drafting a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland. By September 2021, discussions with President Biden’s White House Counsel and DOJ had taken place about seeking assistance for recovering Presidential Records.
The Presidential Records Act reportedly lacks explicit provisions authorizing such procedures. Despite this, President Biden's Deputy White House Counsel allegedly created a pretext for a "special access request" for Trump’s records.
Dan Epstein, Vice President of America First Legal, stated: “The documents uncovered by America First Legal show that years before President Trump was indicted, the National Archives concocted a pretextual and illegal basis for seeking to obtain his records... If this can happen to President Trump, every American will fear their government.”
Epstein further criticized what he called an abuse of power: "Our Constitution is not a partisan sword but a shield to protect liberty."
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