Stefanik, Tenney lash out after FBI searches Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago

Police outside Mar-a-Lago

Police direct traffic outside an entrance to former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump said in a lengthy statement that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and asserted that agents had broken open a safe. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)AP

Republican lawmakers are lashing out after the FBI searched former President Donald Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago as part of an investigation into whether he took classified documents from the White House to his Florida estate.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, called it “a dark day in American history” and U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-New Hartford, called it an “abuse of power.” Both also accused the FBI and the Department of Justice of being politically weaponized, despite current FBI Director Christopher Wray being appointed by Trump five years ago and serving as a high-ranking official in a GOP-led Justice Department.

“The political weaponization of the FBI and Department of Justice is an actual threat to democracy,” said Stefanik, who represents New York’s 21st Congressional District in the North Country and Adirondacks, and holds the No. 3 position in the GOP leadership. “There is a reason that Americans no longer trust these agencies. This is the same corrupt agency that illegally fabricated FISA warrants, knowingly deceived Americans about Russian ‘collusion’ for years, and weaponized itself to perpetuate this hoax with their all-too-eager mainstream media accomplices. This is the same agency that protected Hillary Clinton, James Comey, and continues to lie to protect Hunter Biden. This is the same agency that refuses to provide accountability and transparency into the deadly limo crash in Schoharie County in my district.”

“There must be an immediate investigation and accountability into Joe Biden and his Administration’s weaponizing this department against their political opponents – the likely 2024 Republican candidate for President of the United States.”

Stefanik, Trump

In this Aug. 13, 2018, file photo, President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., speaks at Fort Drum, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Tenney appeared on Newsmax Monday night, comparing the FBI search to a “show trial.”

“They don’t care if they ultimately get somebody arrested or indicted and then convicted of anything. This is about humiliating and embarrassing people to get that perp-walk effect, get the media, get everyone against the person and then it’s almost impossible for them to have any kind of trial,” Tenney told Eric Bolling. “People are getting tried by the media in the public square before they actually get in front of a jury or have evidence to be presented the front for them.”

“Don’t be fooled. This dirty FBI raid isn’t about ‘stolen documents’ or pee tapes,” Tenney added on Twitter. “Corrupt Biden is trying to destroy President Trump and stop him from running and winning in 2024.”

Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, one of just 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the violent mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, has not commented on the Mar-a-Lago search. Katko announced in January he was retiring from Congress, ending a bid for a fifth term.

Trump was reportedly at his New York home at Trump Tower when the FBI executed its search warrant. He said agents opened a safe in his Florida home while he was away and decried the search as an “unannounced raid,” comparing it to “prosecutorial misconduct.”

“Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,” Trump said in a statement. “After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”

The FBI and Justice Department have not commented on the search, and the Biden White House said it had no prior knowledge of the action.

Trump is facing at least two DOJ investigations, including over efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his potential mishandling of classified information. The National Archives and Records Administration said Trump took boxes of White House records to Mar-a-Lago after he left office in January, including some documents that had been torn up and taped back together — a violation of the Presidential Records Act, which requires by law that they be kept for the historical record.

Two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, told the Associated Press that the search was related to the records probe, escalating the case. Agents were also looking to see if Trump had additional presidential records or any classified documents at the estate.

The search came hours after photos obtained by The New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman showed paper documents allegedly flushed down a toilet by Trump at the presidential residence and on an overseas trip during his time in the White House. Ripped-up wads of paper were seen in the toilet, including one with Stefanik’s last name clearly seen in what appears to be Trump’s handwriting in Sharpie ink.

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