Federal judge found ‘strong evidence’ of crimes before Trump was charged in classified documents case
CNN
Months before Donald Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents, a federal judge said that investigators had “strong evidence” that the former president “intended” to hide classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort, according to newly released court documents.
Months before Donald Trump was indicted for mishandling classified documents, a federal judge said that investigators had “strong evidence” that the former president “intended” to hide classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort, according to newly released court documents. Judge Beryl Howell cited, among other things, the discovery of additional classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago months after the FBI’s search of the property in the summer of 2022. The records included a “mostly empty” folder marked as “Classified Evening Summary” that was found in the former president’s bedroom, as well as four other documents with classification markings found in his post-presidential office at the resort. “Notably, no excuse is provided as to how the former president could miss the classified-marked documents found in his own bedroom at Mar-a-Lago,” Howell wrote in March 2023. The ruling was among hundreds of pages of previously sealed filings that were publicly docketed Tuesday in the criminal classified documents case against Trump. Included as well were new images of Walt Nauta, Trump’s personal aide, moving boxes around Mar-a-Lago room before the a Trump attorney was to review the boxes for classified materials sought by a subpoena. Prosecutors say Nauta moved boxes around as part of an alleged conspiracy to conceal classified material from federal investigators. Nauta has been charged alongside Trump and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira in the case, facing charges of mishandling sensitive or classified materials and obstruction. All three have pleaded not guilty.
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