Investigators say two employees of former President Donald Trump moved boxes of records at Mar-a-Lago into a storage area just one day before a scheduled visit from the FBI and a federal prosecutor.
According to a Washington Post report, an anonymous source familiar with the case said Trump carried out "a 'dress rehearsal' for moving sensitive papers" along with his team prior to receiving a subpoena last May.
On June 2, the same day the boxes were moved, Trump’s lawyer contacted the Justice Department, saying officials were welcomed to Mar-a-Lago to pick up the documents. Agents were given 38 classified documents the next day when they showed up but were not given permission to open any boxes in storage, the report says.
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After the FBI secured a court order to search Mar-a-Lago in August, they conducted an unannounced search where they found more than 100 additional classified documents.
According to court papers, the FBI's reason for searching the property after the visit was "probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found."
Additionally, special counsel Jack Smith has also uncovered several instances of obstructive conduct, including perceived efforts to conceal those top-secret documents, the report states.
This report comes a week after CNN revealed that evidence shows Trump and his team received guidance from the National Archives on the correct way to declassify the records, but they may not have followed those rules.
Trump has continuously denied any wrongdoing, claiming he has rights under the Presidential Records Act. But under said act, the National Archives assumes the role of the legal custodian for the president's and vice president’s records upon their departure from office.
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