US Justice Dept. Opposes Release of Trump Investigation Affidavit - Court Filings

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Justice Department opposes the public release of an affidavit used in the federal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s handling of potentially sensitive materials after leaving office, according to filings with the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

"Given the circumstances presented in this matter and the public interest in transparency… the government moved to unseal the search warrant, its attachments, and the Property Receipt summarizing materials seized, which motion this Court granted," the filing said on Monday. "The affidavit supporting the search warrant presents a very different set of considerations. There remain compelling reasons, including to protect the integrity of an ongoing law enforcement investigation that implicates national security, that support keeping the affidavit sealed."

On August 8, the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida and examined the premises for nine hours to seize 11 sets of documents and other materials, some of which were labeled "Top Secret," according to the disclosed search warrant receipt.

Trump has repeatedly said he has done nothing wrong and the efforts over several years by Democrats and establishment Republicans investigate him have yielded no results. Trump also characterized the raid as a weaponization of the US justice system against him as a political opponent of sitting President Joe Biden. The former president also said the materials at Mar-a-Lago were declassified.

The government opposes the release of the affidavit due to an interest in preserving the integrity of the ongoing criminal investigation, the filing said. Disclosure at the present time would cause "significant and irreparable damage" to the investigation, the filing also said.

Disclosure of the affidavit would also likely chill future cooperation by witnesses whose assistance may be sought over the course of the probe, the filing added.