| |
FL Grand Jury Involved in Trump Probe 06/07 06:03
Federal prosecutors are using a grand jury in Florida as part of their
investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents at former
President Donald Trump's Palm Beach property, a person familiar with the matter
said Tuesday night.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal prosecutors are using a grand jury in Florida as
part of their investigation into the possible mishandling of classified
documents at former President Donald Trump's Palm Beach property, a person
familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.
The grand jury is in addition to a separate panel that has been meeting in
Washington for months to consider charges against Trump over the retention of
hundreds of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and potential obstruction of the
government's efforts to reclaim the records.
It is not clear why prosecutors are using an additional grand jury, which
was described to The Associated Press by a person who insisted on anonymity to
discuss secret proceedings, or which witnesses might be testifying before it.
A variety of witnesses, including lawyers for Trump, close aides to the
former president and officials with the Trump Organization, have appeared over
the last year before the grand jury in Washington. But the use of a different
grand jury in Florida suggests that prosecutors may also be eyeing at least
some potential charges in that state.
The Mar-a-Lago investigation, being led by special counsel Jack Smith's team
of prosecutors, is thought to be in its final stages, with a charging decision
expected soon. Trump's lawyers met at the Justice Department on Monday with
officials including Smith, part of an effort by the legal team to raise
concerns about what they say is prosecutorial misconduct and to try to argue
against a potential indictment.
The investigation has centered not only on the possession of classified
documents, including at the top-secret level, but also on the refusal of Trump
to return the records when asked and on possible obstruction. The FBI last year
issued a subpoena for classified records at the property, and after coming to
suspect that Trump and his representatives had not returned all the documents,
returned with a search warrant and recovered an additional 100 documents with
classification markings.
Investigators have questioned a Trump associate who was seen on surveillance
camera moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago. As part of an obstruction probe
centered in part on surveillance footage, they more recently have expressed
interest in a worker's draining of a pool at the resort last October, an act
that caused a flood at the property, according to another person who spoke on
condition of anonymity. That area of interest was first reported by CNN.
A spokesman for Smith declined to comment Tuesday night on the existence of
another grand jury.
|
|
