Reporters on sensitive topics sometimes get a feel when big news is about to be covered. But not this time. The FBI's Monday morning raid on Mar-a-Lago shook American political history, but it happened so quietly and so secretly that it never caught on camera. For the most part, reporters didn't notice the wind until after the FBI had acted. By the time local TV news cameras appeared outside the club, there was little to see. The website used a file photo of a resort in Florida, as there were no dramatic search results.
Everyone wants to see a search warrant. As Elie Honig quickly pointed out on her CNN, "To obtain a search warrant in the federal system, prosecutors must establish the probable cause of a crime being committed," the judge approves. is needed.
The warrant may be released later. But for the time being, we see only leaks from anonymous sources. interpretations from analysts; incendiary reactions from Trump's family, friends and supporters; Mark Levin, , said on Fox,, "This is the worst attack on this republic in modern history." Introducing the position of GOP leaders and stars.
It's like, 'Where were you when?' A moment in the Trump era – an era that overlaps so much with the Biden era. But it is impossible to judge the ultimate level of that import now. Here are some notes on his first four hours of media coverage:
- Trump tried to control the news by announcing himself with a long screed. Maggie Haberman told CNN that Trump and some of his supporters "have a long-standing habit of conflating legal issues with PR issues." "At the moment they're treating this as a PR issue," she added, "but it's a legal issue."
-- sources within an hour told reporters that the search warrant was related to an investigation into the handling of presidential documents that may have been brought into Mar-a-Lago. So it's not a 1/6 survey.
- CNN's girlfriend Gabby Orr reported that Trump attorney Christina Bobb, former host of One America News, was present at her Mar-a-Lago search.
- Trump's statement provided a number of talking points that were quickly used across Fox, Newsmax, and the right-wing web.MAGA's media Her message was: The government is corrupt, the FBI is a threat to real Americans, Democrats are to blame, Republicans are trying to fix it.
-- "The Republican Party - formerly the party of 'Law and Order' - is in complete panic and is calling for the defunding/dismantling of the entire FBI," Jezebel's Laura Bassett quoted a tweetwrote: From Marjorie Taylor Green and numerous GOP media stars.
-- President Trump has "deliberately made himself a martyr to undermine the FBI & DOJ, while urging his supporters to use force." Former Vice President Pence Counsel Olivia Troy tweeted"Fox News & Many Republicans are emboldening it.
-- When Trump left Trump Tower in New York City on Monday night, he did not answer reporters' bellowing questions about the FBI.
- All of this is happening "on the day Richard Nixon marked his 48th anniversary announcing his resignation," said his Stephanie Ruhle. told on his MSNBC.
Silence from DOJ
“DoJ officials declined to comment on any aspect of the search warrant executed in Mar Arago. And if the attorney General Merrick B. Garland approved the warrant — or even if he had been briefed on the situation...right.
Bad timing for Biden.
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"White House officials said they had not been notified of the search," the CNN article said. President Biden said, "[54] senior government officials said [55] were unaware of the search for Mar-a-Lago until it was reported in the news." MAGA media is full of speculation to the contrary, but Sam Stein points out on Twitter that: like a strange time to trample it.
Trump's 'disinformation feed'
Agencies keep quiet about investigations, but Trump allies speak louder. Eric Trump appeared on Sean Hannity's show. He repeated the story of his father's victim. It confirmed that the search warrant concerns the handling of presidential documents, including classified documents.
Some of the initial news warnings about FBI actions were untrue. He said his home was "currently besieged, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents," but all credible reports indicated the FBI's actions by the time he spoke out.
Trump's statement also included "an amusing example of Trump getting high on his own disinformation feed," said NBC's Ben Collins. pointed out"He refers to Hillary Clinton as 'pickling 33,000 emails.' At Trumpworld, she literally poured acid on emails.”
This Florida reporter called
first. It was a person I knew. Via Slate: By Peter Schorsch, publisher of Florida Politics, a news outlet that provides in-depth coverage of the state's legislative and congressional elections. He tweeted about it at 6:36 pm, citing two sources. I immediately texted it to Oliver Darcy and said, "I wonder if this is real." Darcy thought Trump would rant online, and he was right. Trump's statement followed within minutes.
>> Details: "In a phone call with Slate, Schorsch said of the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, 'a long-standing informant of Republican politics with law.' He said he heard it from a source'' who knew a lot about "law enforcement in South Florida."
earlier in the day.
The day started with a reminder that the Trump era is far from over. Peter Baker came out with an excerpt from his September book 'The Divider' previewed in Sunday night's newsletter . Maggie Haberman shared a photoof documents that Trump allegedly flushed the toilet before releasing "The Confidence His Man" in October. Both books soared on his Amazon's New Releases list on Monday, thanks to pre-orders.