In a surprising twist, attorneys for Donald Trump’s co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, have filed a motion requesting records related to the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago. The motion alleges that FBI agents failed to thoroughly search the premises, potentially missing a hidden room and a locked closet that could have contained classified documents. According to the defense, these areas were known to the FBI prior to the raid.
The request comes as part of an effort to challenge the government’s obstruction charges against Trump and his associates. The defense argues that the FBI’s alleged oversight invalidates the charges, as the government cannot claim ignorance of the missed evidence. The motion states, “Indeed, the only explanation for this failure is that the [special counsel office] intends to rely on its ignorance of what was in former President Trump’s residence as part of its pitch to the jury that boxes were moved for the purpose of concealing their contents from the investigation.”
Trump faces a total of 40 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents, while Nauta and De Oliveira face charges of concealing evidence and lying to investigators. All three have pleaded not guilty.
The motion has raised questions about the thoroughness of the FBI’s search and the potential impact it could have on the upcoming trial. The outcome of the motion and the subsequent trial will be closely watched as they shed light on the handling of classified information and the role of the FBI in investigating former presidents.
