Lindsey Halligan, a Florida-based legal professional for former President Donald Trump, was at Mar-a-Lago and spoke with CBS Information concerning the FBI search. This is her description of what transpired:
Halligan obtained a name at round 10 a.m. Monday that FBI brokers have been at Trump's Palm Seashore dwelling, Mar-a-Lago, they usually had a search warrant.
She was the second Trump legal professional to reach on scene, at about 11 a.m, after the search had begun. Christina Bobb, who was a TV host on the far proper OAN Community, was already there.
Over the subsequent eight hours, Halligan stated 30-40 FBI personnel carried out the search. There have been a handful wearing fits, however most wore t-shirts, cargo pants, masks and gloves. Halligan estimates 10-15 FBI automobiles went out and in of the property, together with a Ryder truck.
She did not witness packing containers or paperwork being loaded onto the truck, although she didn't dispute FBI investigators took materials from Mar-a-Lago — Halligan simply did not see it.
Sources informed CBS Information that the FBI did, in actual fact, take packing containers and paperwork from Mar-a-Lago, however no electronics. Two sources stated that some, if not all, of the paperwork are doubtlessly categorized data.
The Nationwide Archives and Data Administration retrieved 15 packing containers of data, a few of which contained categorized materials, from Mar-a-Lago in mid-January. Monday's search seems to be a part of that Justice Division investigation.
Halligan says she and Bobb have been barred from going contained in the advanced, pressured to stay exterior, between the ballroom and residence, on the grounds of Mar-a-Lago.
In accordance with Halligan, the FBI divided up the search into three areas: a bed room, a storage space and an workplace.
She stated she spoke with Trump who expressed shock concerning the FBI search. He stated he thought he'd complied with investigators' requests. He informed Halligan that the Justice Division has an open line to his attorneys and stated that he is instructed them to show over responsive paperwork if they've them. She stated that the previous president raised considerations about abuse of energy by the Biden administration.
U.S. officers verify the search of Trump's dwelling was accepted by the best ranges of the Justice Division. Legal professional Basic Merrick Garland is just not anticipated to make any public statements concerning the investigation or the search, nonetheless.
Halligan stated the search warrant was sealed, and since she had not been social gathering to this side of Trump's authorized portfolio till Monday, didn't know what sorts of paperwork the FBI could be on the lookout for nor what sorts of paperwork the previous president retains with him at Mar-a-Lago.
Nonetheless, she insisted that the federal government's search "was an appalling show of abuse and energy — full overkill." She additionally asserted that "in the event that they wanted paperwork, they might have requested. There's by no means been a difficulty with compliance." Halligan stated the search got here as a "large shock."
The search groups wrapped up their work at about 6:30 p.m.