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Sekulow - Shocking FBI Trump Raid Docs Declassified

December 30, 2025 | 24:17

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Sekulow | Sekulow - Shocking FBI Trump Raid Docs Declassified | December 30, 2025

(upbeat music)
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- welcome to "sekulow."
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We got a packed show for you today.
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Rick grinnell's gonna be joining us.
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It's me and will, but we do have some big breaking news.
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Out the top, through the fbi,
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Some released documents that came out, will,
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And came out through fox news, that were released to them.
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Not only, i mean, we're flashing back here, folks,
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To the mar-a-lago raid.
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It's been quite some time since then.
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But you may have been wondering, during that fbi, you know,
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Were people speaking up?
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Did people inside the fbi, we know some of the top,
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Who we're not fans of,
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But were people inside the fbi actually saying,
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You know, maybe things have gotten out of control?
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And the answer to that is yes.
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The answer to that is, not only yes,
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But to the point of really questioning probable cause,
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Even pushing forward, i mean, direct quotes from emails,
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Asking, "can we please just table this?
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"this has been months and months.
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"it's taking up too much resource
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"to find probable cause for this search."
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It's a little refreshing in some ways, will.
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I mean, it's alarming, because obviously they didn't,
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They weren't listened to.
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But the fact that there were people, good people involved,
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Saying, "this is going too far."
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At least you know, it wasn't just all partisan actors
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In this fbi.
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- that's right.
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This goes along with the mar-a-lago raid,
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Where the fbi and the doj
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Were pursuing this case against president trump
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Related to classified documents.
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And this 27-page release of emails
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And other documents from the fbi and doj
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Came because of chairman grassley
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Of the senate judiciary committee's oversight of this issue.
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And what we're seeing,
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The more that the fbi digs into the files,
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The more that they uncover,
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Is that a lot of this stuff is in writing.
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There's a paper trail.
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And it also is pointing to maybe the motives behind the doj,
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What they were after.
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Because when the fbi in the washington field office
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Is putting this in the record
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Related to the upcoming search warrant execution
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On mar-a-lago, that they're gonna have to carry out.
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I'm gonna read this for everyone.
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As everyone is tracking,
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The washington field office does not believe
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And has articulated to the department of justice
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That we have established probable cause
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For the search warrant for classified records at mar-a-lago.
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Doj has opined that they do have probable cause
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Requesting a wide scope,
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Including office, residence, and storage space.
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In washington field office's opinion,
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If a primary goal of this investigation
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Is to identify and recover classified records quickly,
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So as to protect the information,
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The six weeks spent fixated on probable cause
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For a search warrant have been counterproductive.
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Continued investigation and additional interviews
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Have not found any witness
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Who has reported seeing classified records at mar-a-lago
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Since the return of records in compliance on june 3rd, 2022.
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We'll be right back.
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(upbeat music)
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(upbeat music)
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(upbeat music)
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- we gotta restate, so many of you just came in
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During the break.
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We gotta restate that the general top line
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And will's got a lot of information
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We're gonna dive into 'cause this came out,
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Will's gotten to the source of the information
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So where some of the news reports,
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They're being journalists,
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They're trying to be suave about it,
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They're not necessarily naming names.
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We're gonna get to some of this
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'cause you can name some of these names.
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You can find their titles and who they are
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Because this information has become public,
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And of course we're talking about emails
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That went back during the lead up
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To what ended up being called the mar-a-lago raid
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Where they were searching for
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What could have been classified or declassified documents
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Depending on the way you look at it.
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But what we really found out clearly
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Is there was a large group within the fbi
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Saying we do not have probable cause to do this
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And please stop asking.
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You've been doing this for months.
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We don't have it.
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If you wanted documents,
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There are easier ways for us to get these documents
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Than what you're trying to push here.
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I mean, again, i'm summarizing here
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But it's not that far off.
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These were casual conversations saying
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This has taken our team way too much time,
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Way too much money is being spent
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Where we could be doing other things.
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You know, there is not always that conversation.
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Don't you have something better to do
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In terms to maybe your law enforcement
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If you get pulled over for having your tag a week delayed
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Or something like that?
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People always say that.
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Well, they feel like that in the fbi as well.
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And you felt that way in the world
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Where it's like, aren't there stronger things happening,
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Scarier things happening
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That you need to be taken care of here in this country?
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And what we found out is that the fbi themselves
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Felt that way, team members in the inside
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And were speaking their mind.
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- what's interesting is that it is very revealing
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Because i think for a long time,
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The narrative was that the fbi's washington field office
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And the doj were walking arm and arm on this,
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Like this is our goal.
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But what we're seeing from these emails
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Is that as far as back as june 1st,
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Where some of these emails start
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Talking about this search warrant,
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Remember the raid happened on august 8th of 2022.
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So more than two months before the actual search warrant
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Was executed on mar-a-lago,
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These concerns are being pressed by the fbi.
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On june 1st, they say something in an email
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Between the fbi responding to the way
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That the doj is adamant about a search warrant,
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Says that the washington field office
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Has been drafting a search warrant affidavit
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Related to the potential boxes,
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But has some concerns that the information
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Is single source, has not been corroborated
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And may be dated.
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The doj opines however,
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That the search warrant meets the probable cause standard.
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That's back in june.
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Later in july, mid-july, just a few weeks
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Before the actual raid, we have this.
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A redacted name asks a fair question.
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"we haven't generated any new facts,
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"but keep being given draft after draft after draft.
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"absent a witness coming forward with recent information
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"about classified on-site,
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"at what point is it fair to table this?
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"it is time consuming for the team and not productive
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"if there are no new facts supporting probable cause."
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And then that memo that we read earlier in the broadcast
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That so everyone is tracking,
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The washington field office does not believe
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And has articulated to the doj
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That we have established probable cause
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For the search warrant for classified records at mar-a-lago.
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The doj pushed back on that,
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But they weren't just saying, "we don't wanna do this."
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They were offering alternatives.
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They have three alternative, less intrusive,
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And likely quicker options for resolution.
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The fbi was saying, "look, we can still get this."
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- yeah, they even talked about meeting
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With the president's former attorneys,
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Saying, you know, or the former president's attorneys,
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Saying, you know, "they shouldn't be discounted
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"in what they're saying here,
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"that maybe some of these documents were declassified."
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And you can have that discussion.
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This would be better than us going this route.
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Now, again, some of this, of course, is old news
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In the sense of we know what the end result was.
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We know what happened over the next four years.
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We know what has happened since then.
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But i think it is always good, one,
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To have a better perspective with american people
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And for you to even have a little bit more trust
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That there are people who are not so partisan
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Inside of these bureaucracies and these departments
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That maybe you can have, you know,
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Rest easy a little bit more at night.
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Like, i'm not saying that everyone there is good
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And on the up and up, but what you do see
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Is that there are a lot of people,
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Whether it's field offices
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Or people involved in this situation,
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Not everyone is coming at it as well.
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As easy as it is to, i guess you could say,
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Stereotype them as a deep state operatives,
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There were people inside speaking up.
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And of course, they are probably risking their jobs
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Somewhat for that 'cause they are pushing back hard.
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But it's refreshing.
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So i think there's some information
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When these kind of things come out.
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It is important to talk about it
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Because you get to see a different side of what's going on.
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- well, and here's another interesting layer to this
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Because in that memo where they said they have articulated
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They don't believe there's probable cause,
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That's the washington field office of the fbi.
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They asked this question or they pose this kind of thing.
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It says, "in the washington field office's opinion,
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"if a primary goal of this investigation
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"is to identify and recover classified records quickly
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"so as to protect the information,
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"the six weeks spent fixated on probable cause
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"for a search warrant have been counterproductive."
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Now, fast forward to four days
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Before the execution of the search warrant.
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This email was sent on august 4th of 2022.
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The search warrant was executed on august 8th.
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And it talks- - pretty quickly.
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Pretty quickly.
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- and it talks about that they have
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The operation plan for monday.
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It's talking about that it has been sought
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And now they are moving forward.
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This is the fbi, which clearly does not necessarily trust
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The motives of the doj on this.
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And they talk about saying that, "listen, the fbi,
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If we're going to do this still on monday,
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"we wanna be responsible
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"for the execution of the search warrant."
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Basically, doj, stay away from it a little bit
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Because here's what is said in this email
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From the assistant special agent in charge.
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"the fbi intends for the execution of the search warrant
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"to be handled in a professional, low-key manner
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"and to be mindful of the optics of the search.
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"safety of the search team is always of concern
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"during any such operations.
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"since we heard mr. toscas say yesterday in the call
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"that, quote, he frankly doesn't give a blank
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"about the optics and that mr. bratt
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"has already built an antagonistic relationship
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"with the former president of the united states
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"attorney over the service of the redacted,
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"i think it is more fair to say that the doj contact
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"with mr. corcoran just prior to the execution
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"of the warrant will not go well."
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So they're calling out that the day before,
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So five days before the execution of the search warrant,
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The deputy assistant attorney general
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In the national security division, george toscas,
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Says he frankly does not give a blank
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About the optics of a search warrant execution
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At the former president of the united states home.
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- will loves that blank, 'cause you could fill in the blank.
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- you can, you can go as aggressive
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Or as mild as you would like.
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But regardless, he is saying,
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He's a deputy assistant attorney general
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In national security division,
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And he doesn't care about the optics
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Of raiding a former president's home.
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The constitution protects people.
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That's what the problem, i'm very upset about this.
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- clearly, let's, look, there's a bite
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That was played during the break,
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And it got a lot of people's attention.
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Let's go to john in pennsylvania about it,
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And then i'll play it for you.
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- [john] yeah, i had a question i asked.
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I was a law enforcement officer for 31 years of my life,
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And had i planted a cheap dime bag on a known drug pusher,
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I'd have been in jail and still be in there.
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How is it that these people, merrick garland gets on there
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And out and out lies?
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Him through biden have no doubt tried
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To stop president trump from being president.
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That's all that this was involved in,
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And yet they stay there free.
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And i understand you guys are not the doj
00:11:35.127 --> 00:11:37.095
And all that, i get it.
00:11:37.095 --> 00:11:38.597
But how long before these people get held accountable?
00:11:38.597 --> 00:11:41.533
- john, let's, for people who don't know
00:11:41.533 --> 00:11:43.001
What you're talking about specifically,
00:11:43.001 --> 00:11:44.203
'cause this aired during the break,
00:11:44.203 --> 00:11:45.537
Let's flashback, this is to 2022, bite one.
00:11:45.537 --> 00:11:48.106
Here's merrick garland, attorney general.
00:11:48.106 --> 00:11:50.776
- there are, however, certain points i want you to know.
00:11:50.776 --> 00:11:55.047
First, i personally approve the decision
00:11:55.047 --> 00:11:58.283
To seek a search warrant in this matter.
00:11:58.283 --> 00:12:01.086
Second, the department does not take
00:12:01.887 --> 00:12:04.489
Such a decision lightly.
00:12:04.489 --> 00:12:06.225
- they do not take this decision lightly,
00:12:06.225 --> 00:12:07.793
Though they know this was only from three days
00:12:07.793 --> 00:12:09.361
After the raid, which is only about a week
00:12:09.361 --> 00:12:10.929
After some of these emails came through saying,
00:12:10.929 --> 00:12:12.965
"we do not think that you have the rights to do this."
00:12:12.965 --> 00:12:16.235
John, you are right.
00:12:16.235 --> 00:12:18.303
Of course, there are things in washington, d.c.
00:12:18.303 --> 00:12:20.606
They're out of control, but we know at least
00:12:20.606 --> 00:12:23.108
This information is coming out,
00:12:23.108 --> 00:12:24.576
And you can thank at least the current fbi for that.
00:12:24.576 --> 00:12:26.645
- well, exactly, and to john's point,
00:12:26.645 --> 00:12:29.214
Merrick garland saying they're three days after the raid,
00:12:29.214 --> 00:12:32.050
The department does not take this decision lightly.
00:12:32.050 --> 00:12:34.286
Really, because your deputy assistant attorney general
00:12:34.286 --> 00:12:37.923
In the national security division
00:12:37.923 --> 00:12:39.358
Says he doesn't care about the optics,
00:12:39.358 --> 00:12:42.127
And when the fbi is saying,
00:12:42.127 --> 00:12:43.462
"we do not believe we have probable cause,"
00:12:43.462 --> 00:12:46.131
Obviously there was tension there,
00:12:46.131 --> 00:12:47.733
But they were trying to stop this at the fbi for months,
00:12:47.733 --> 00:12:52.170
And the doj, which is their prerogative,
00:12:52.170 --> 00:12:55.474
But what this tells us is that the fbi in this raid
00:12:55.474 --> 00:12:58.443
Wasn't necessarily the bad actor
00:12:58.443 --> 00:13:00.312
To the degree that we expected them to be.
00:13:00.312 --> 00:13:03.015
They were actually trying to push rational,
00:13:03.015 --> 00:13:04.783
Cooler heads here, and the attorney general of the
00:13:04.783 --> 00:13:07.052
United states said to himself
00:13:07.052 --> 00:13:08.320
He personally approved the decision.
00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:10.188
Let's go to nadine, who's calling in texas with her hopes.
00:13:10.188 --> 00:13:13.158
Go ahead.
00:13:13.158 --> 00:13:14.626
- [nadine] yes, thank you.
00:13:15.193 --> 00:13:17.429
My most desired comment would be that all actions
00:13:18.430 --> 00:13:23.302
And decisions would be made
00:13:23.902 --> 00:13:25.537
According to the righteousness of god
00:13:25.537 --> 00:13:28.206
In any and all departments,
00:13:28.206 --> 00:13:30.909
And whether people are elected, appointed, or hired,
00:13:30.909 --> 00:13:36.181
It would just be really good
00:13:36.782 --> 00:13:38.250
That it was all done in the righteousness,
00:13:38.250 --> 00:13:40.452
Not, you know, we can follow our own laws,
00:13:40.452 --> 00:13:43.021
And that would be righteousness, so that would be good, too.
00:13:43.021 --> 00:13:45.791
- yeah, nadine, i think a lot of people feel that way,
00:13:45.791 --> 00:13:47.826
And look, you saw a lot of response over the last week
00:13:47.826 --> 00:13:50.529
To even the way president trump
00:13:50.529 --> 00:13:52.164
Responded to the rob reiner murder.
00:13:52.164 --> 00:13:54.399
A lot of people, even his most ardent supporters say,
00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:57.569
"you know, this is not the way we talk about other people
00:13:57.569 --> 00:14:00.205
Who are murdered," even if they are our,
00:14:00.205 --> 00:14:01.640
You know, if you wanna say, quote-unquote, "enemy."
00:14:01.640 --> 00:14:03.709
Of course, he was a president to all people.
00:14:03.709 --> 00:14:06.178
I think there is that christian base,
00:14:06.945 --> 00:14:09.114
Who a lot of you are probably listening right now,
00:14:09.114 --> 00:14:11.316
And you're watching right now,
00:14:11.316 --> 00:14:12.651
And maybe that did hit you in the wrong way,
00:14:12.651 --> 00:14:15.020
Who do hear messages like nadine's, who goes,
00:14:15.020 --> 00:14:16.888
"you know what, i would love to see this side
00:14:16.888 --> 00:14:21.059
Of the current administration.
00:14:21.059 --> 00:14:22.794
Show me the christian side that you have promised us,"
00:14:22.794 --> 00:14:27.065
When so many times it feels like that message gets lost.
00:14:27.065 --> 00:14:32.404
It's very difficult also to understand
00:14:33.238 --> 00:14:34.740
Where you may agree with president trump
00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:36.375
And his whole administration
00:14:36.375 --> 00:14:37.743
On 99 percent or 100 percent of their policies,
00:14:37.743 --> 00:14:41.546
And then you have situations where, personally,
00:14:41.546 --> 00:14:44.249
It becomes harder to defend.
00:14:44.249 --> 00:14:46.385
How do you treat the future?
00:14:46.985 --> 00:14:49.421
So president trump has a moment right now
00:14:49.421 --> 00:14:51.023
Where he can go on.
00:14:51.023 --> 00:14:52.391
Maybe he can right a little bit of the wrongs.
00:14:52.391 --> 00:14:54.659
Maybe he can adjust the way some people,
00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:56.762
Interpreted those messages.
00:14:56.762 --> 00:14:58.897
I'm not saying that will help, but you know what?
00:14:58.897 --> 00:15:00.999
Maybe, nadine, you're right,
00:15:00.999 --> 00:15:02.300
And that people are seeing it a little bit
00:15:02.300 --> 00:15:04.169
Through some different eyes this week,
00:15:04.169 --> 00:15:05.937
And maybe we'll have that.
00:15:05.937 --> 00:15:07.305
I wanna quickly jump to charles also on line one.
00:15:07.305 --> 00:15:10.876
Charles in kentucky.
00:15:10.876 --> 00:15:12.277
We got about two minutes left, charles, but go ahead.
00:15:12.277 --> 00:15:15.180
- [charles] yes, i'm in shelbyville, kentucky,
00:15:15.180 --> 00:15:17.249
Near colonel sanders' home, where he died.
00:15:17.249 --> 00:15:19.718
- god bless you. - it's kind of easy
00:15:19.718 --> 00:15:21.686
Perspective where i am.
00:15:21.686 --> 00:15:23.088
I just wanna say i love your show.
00:15:23.088 --> 00:15:24.322
- thank you. - i enjoy listening to it.
00:15:24.322 --> 00:15:27.359
It's just, i'm 82 years old.
00:15:27.359 --> 00:15:30.062
I think i'll die before the government does anything.
00:15:30.062 --> 00:15:35.400
Even donald trump, i had hopes for him,
00:15:36.234 --> 00:15:37.903
But the republicans have blocked him from doing anything,
00:15:37.903 --> 00:15:42.541
And kentucky's republicans are the worst of the bunch.
00:15:42.541 --> 00:15:46.711
- yeah, charlie, kentucky always is very interesting.
00:15:46.711 --> 00:15:50.315
Look, i appreciate the kind words on the show.
00:15:50.315 --> 00:15:52.584
I appreciate that you're 82 years old.
00:15:52.584 --> 00:15:54.252
You're still paying attention to what's going on
00:15:54.252 --> 00:15:55.787
In the world, but you also have a different set of eyes,
00:15:55.787 --> 00:15:59.357
And those different set of eyes is someone
00:15:59.357 --> 00:16:01.159
Who has been through this for 82 years.
00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:03.028
You've seen politics, and maybe it's best and worst.
00:16:03.028 --> 00:16:06.565
You know that a lot of stuff,
00:16:06.565 --> 00:16:07.933
It's promised and doesn't happen.
00:16:07.933 --> 00:16:09.501
I do think there's still hope that some things
00:16:09.501 --> 00:16:11.236
Can happen during this administration.
00:16:11.236 --> 00:16:13.038
I actually don't even think there's hope.
00:16:13.038 --> 00:16:14.473
I think it will happen during this administration.
00:16:14.473 --> 00:16:16.475
Some good things happened last time as well.
00:16:16.475 --> 00:16:19.077
So, charles, don't lose sight of that.
00:16:19.077 --> 00:16:22.180
We hope you make it all the way through.
00:16:22.180 --> 00:16:24.616
Dick van dyke just turned 100, so you know what?
00:16:24.616 --> 00:16:27.252
God bless him.
00:16:27.252 --> 00:16:28.453
Charles, god bless you as well.
00:16:28.453 --> 00:16:30.422
You got kfc right there.
00:16:30.922 --> 00:16:32.290
You got colonel sanders.
00:16:32.290 --> 00:16:34.693
- logan actually, little known fact,
00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:37.195
Big fan of the kfc franchise and the lore behind it.
00:16:37.195 --> 00:16:41.032
- i mean, i know a lot about it.
00:16:41.032 --> 00:16:42.434
- yeah, that's what i mean. - yeah, that's true.
00:16:42.434 --> 00:16:43.735
I don't know if i'm a fan as much as i'm-
00:16:43.735 --> 00:16:45.237
- intrigued by it.
00:16:45.237 --> 00:16:46.438
- i'm a historian. - there you go.
00:16:46.438 --> 00:16:48.106
- i'm a fast food historian.
00:16:48.106 --> 00:16:49.708
I'm gonna say whether i agree or disagree with the sanders.
00:16:49.708 --> 00:16:53.478
He didn't seem to be like a good guy.
00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:55.747
I liked hawaiian shirt, colonel sanders.
00:16:55.747 --> 00:16:57.916
You don't see enough of those images.
00:16:57.916 --> 00:16:59.718
No, not in his kentucky colonel.
00:16:59.718 --> 00:17:01.253
By the way, kentucky colonel's different
00:17:01.253 --> 00:17:02.721
Than maybe you'd think what they are.
00:17:02.721 --> 00:17:04.256
Do some googling, all right.
00:17:04.256 --> 00:17:05.657
We'll be right back with rick riddell on "sekulow."
00:17:05.657 --> 00:17:08.627
(upbeat music)
00:17:08.627 --> 00:17:12.005
(upbeat music)
00:17:12.005 --> 00:17:12.357
(upbeat music)
00:17:12.724 --> 00:17:15.393
- rick is joining us.
00:17:15.393 --> 00:17:16.561
Will, go to you. - that's right, rick.
00:17:16.561 --> 00:17:17.929
Today we got some documents
00:17:17.929 --> 00:17:19.864
That were released to chairman grassley
00:17:19.864 --> 00:17:21.700
From the fbi that tell actually a story
00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:25.270
That i don't think i was expecting
00:17:25.270 --> 00:17:27.539
About the mar-a-lago raid.
00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:29.341
It wasn't one where the doj and fbi
00:17:29.341 --> 00:17:32.744
Were in perfect lockstep on going after president trump.
00:17:32.744 --> 00:17:36.881
For once, it seems like cooler heads
00:17:36.881 --> 00:17:38.917
In washington field office were trying to say,
00:17:38.917 --> 00:17:40.885
"wait a second, we don't think we have probable cause."
00:17:40.885 --> 00:17:45.257
Effectively, if there's not probable cause,
00:17:45.257 --> 00:17:47.792
Then that's a constitutional violations are at stake here.
00:17:47.792 --> 00:17:50.729
And instead, the doj said they don't care about the optics
00:17:50.729 --> 00:17:55.567
And they forced this after two months
00:17:55.567 --> 00:17:58.603
Of what seemed to be infighting between the fbi and the doj
00:17:58.603 --> 00:18:02.774
To force this raid on mar-a-lago.
00:18:02.774 --> 00:18:05.410
What are your thoughts on what we're seeing
00:18:05.410 --> 00:18:07.545
Coming out of these new emails
00:18:07.545 --> 00:18:08.980
Released just late last night?
00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:11.249
- well, first of all, the media needs to cover this.
00:18:12.284 --> 00:18:13.718
This is my first thought.
00:18:13.718 --> 00:18:15.520
They covered the raid extensively.
00:18:15.520 --> 00:18:18.056
They should cover the cover-up and the controversy.
00:18:18.056 --> 00:18:21.826
I don't know why it took so long
00:18:21.826 --> 00:18:24.296
For someone to stand up and get this,
00:18:24.296 --> 00:18:26.564
But chuck grassley, senator from iowa,
00:18:26.564 --> 00:18:29.134
Is so good at digging in and finding these things.
00:18:29.134 --> 00:18:33.338
He really does hold the intelligence agencies to account.
00:18:33.338 --> 00:18:36.608
I can tell you, as former dni, he pushed me hard
00:18:36.608 --> 00:18:39.811
And always wanted transparency.
00:18:39.811 --> 00:18:44.082
And he didn't care what the problem was
00:18:44.082 --> 00:18:46.518
Or who messed up, he wanted the public to know.
00:18:46.518 --> 00:18:49.721
And so this is kudos to senator grassley
00:18:49.721 --> 00:18:53.258
For once again pushing hard to uncover the truth.
00:18:53.258 --> 00:18:57.162
And i hope that senators will continue to do that
00:18:57.162 --> 00:19:00.131
Because the public needs to have their confidence
00:19:00.131 --> 00:19:04.602
Restored in these institutions,
00:19:04.602 --> 00:19:08.840
These government institutions.
00:19:08.840 --> 00:19:10.375
And the only way to do that
00:19:10.375 --> 00:19:11.776
Is to come clean on the mistakes.
00:19:11.776 --> 00:19:13.778
The idea that doj decided to raid mar-a-lago
00:19:13.778 --> 00:19:19.050
And melania trump's closet
00:19:19.617 --> 00:19:23.021
When all other agencies were saying this is not needed
00:19:23.021 --> 00:19:28.360
Shows just how political the doj has been under joe biden.
00:19:29.527 --> 00:19:35.100
And i hope that the media will uncover this,
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:39.838
Talk about it, and shame those who did this
00:19:39.838 --> 00:19:42.574
So that it never happens again.
00:19:42.574 --> 00:19:43.908
- well, rick, you bring up the media.
00:19:43.908 --> 00:19:45.777
One of the individuals involved in this
00:19:45.777 --> 00:19:48.046
Was the deputy assistant attorney general
00:19:48.046 --> 00:19:51.049
In national security division, george toscas,
00:19:51.049 --> 00:19:53.585
Who was quoted by the fbi five days before the raid
00:19:53.585 --> 00:19:58.923
Of saying, "he frankly doesn't give a blank
00:19:59.824 --> 00:20:01.693
"about the optics of the raid
00:20:01.693 --> 00:20:04.596
"and the search warrant execution."
00:20:04.596 --> 00:20:07.198
But once again, okay, is the media gonna report
00:20:07.198 --> 00:20:10.969
On this one individual that he said this?
00:20:10.969 --> 00:20:13.405
Probably not.
00:20:13.405 --> 00:20:14.939
But they were fine reporting on this very same individual
00:20:14.939 --> 00:20:17.942
When there was crisis at the doj
00:20:17.942 --> 00:20:20.011
Because president trump was in
00:20:20.011 --> 00:20:21.513
And they were trying to turn over new people
00:20:21.513 --> 00:20:23.748
And he was said, "you can either resign
00:20:23.748 --> 00:20:25.450
"or get a new assignment."
00:20:25.450 --> 00:20:26.985
And they were running headlines
00:20:26.985 --> 00:20:28.553
Like, "after removing veteran officials,
00:20:28.553 --> 00:20:31.055
"new doj leadership tries to calm
00:20:31.055 --> 00:20:33.391
"rattled national security team,"
00:20:33.391 --> 00:20:35.493
As if the crisis was unfolding at the doj
00:20:35.493 --> 00:20:38.797
That these career veteran officials
00:20:38.797 --> 00:20:41.299
Were being told they may need to do something else,
00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:44.169
When in reality, it's those type of people
00:20:44.169 --> 00:20:46.171
That were saying they don't care what the optics look like,
00:20:46.171 --> 00:20:49.207
Just get it done when it comes to raiding the home
00:20:49.207 --> 00:20:52.043
Of a former president of the united states.
00:20:52.043 --> 00:20:53.878
And if they don't care about the optics
00:20:53.878 --> 00:20:55.213
Of raiding a former president,
00:20:55.213 --> 00:20:57.248
Do you think those doj officials
00:20:57.248 --> 00:20:59.284
Are gonna care about raiding parents' homes
00:20:59.284 --> 00:21:01.986
That were protesting at school boards
00:21:01.986 --> 00:21:03.588
Or speaking out for their children's wellbeing
00:21:03.588 --> 00:21:05.957
Or pro-life advocates that were raided
00:21:05.957 --> 00:21:08.893
In pre-dawn raids by the fbi
00:21:08.893 --> 00:21:11.596
That the doj forced and took to trial?
00:21:11.596 --> 00:21:14.599
No, that's why we had to defend whistleblowers
00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:17.101
That were trying to call out that stuff
00:21:17.101 --> 00:21:19.204
Because the doj was trying to say,
00:21:19.204 --> 00:21:22.173
"it's our way or the highway, get it done.
00:21:22.173 --> 00:21:24.909
"we don't care about the optics."
00:21:24.909 --> 00:21:26.711
And now we're seeing they were putting that in writing.
00:21:26.711 --> 00:21:30.148
- look, let's be really clear though
00:21:30.915 --> 00:21:32.417
About the doj under joe biden.
00:21:32.417 --> 00:21:36.688
This was not optics.
00:21:36.688 --> 00:21:38.022
This was their spin to call it optics.
00:21:38.022 --> 00:21:41.025
What the warning was is that you don't need to do this.
00:21:41.025 --> 00:21:44.529
This is not relevant.
00:21:44.529 --> 00:21:46.464
It's not germane.
00:21:46.464 --> 00:21:48.099
You shouldn't be raiding mar-a-lago.
00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:51.069
This was a warning about the substance
00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:54.539
Of what doj wanted to do.
00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:56.741
It was the doj biden people who called that simply optics.
00:21:56.741 --> 00:22:01.279
And i would challenge anyone to say,
00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:03.915
It's not optics when lawyers who work for the government
00:22:03.915 --> 00:22:08.419
Are telling you that this isn't needed,
00:22:08.419 --> 00:22:11.089
That this raid isn't needed, and that you somehow say,
00:22:11.089 --> 00:22:15.360
"oh, it's just because you're afraid of optics."
00:22:15.360 --> 00:22:17.662
That's a political spin from the biden doj.
00:22:17.662 --> 00:22:21.733
The warnings were ignored,
00:22:21.733 --> 00:22:23.935
And that's why they overreached on the legal implications.
00:22:23.935 --> 00:22:27.639
And we all saw that.
00:22:27.639 --> 00:22:29.073
And the case completely fell apart
00:22:29.073 --> 00:22:31.709
Because of the overreach, not the optics.
00:22:31.709 --> 00:22:34.112
- and rick, that is precisely also what we wanna do
00:22:34.112 --> 00:22:36.381
Is encourage people to be able to raise their voice.
00:22:36.381 --> 00:22:38.049
Of course, we are promoting just our general cause
00:22:38.049 --> 00:22:40.251
Of supporting the first amendment here at the aclj.
00:22:40.251 --> 00:22:42.620
It's been a long-term thing
00:22:42.620 --> 00:22:44.188
That we have been working on for years and years.
00:22:44.188 --> 00:22:45.690
Of course, we've got a new series we're working on as well.
00:22:45.690 --> 00:22:47.625
But i wanted to give you the opportunity to say,
00:22:47.625 --> 00:22:49.227
Look, this is important.
00:22:49.227 --> 00:22:50.728
It's important why we have strong people, even in the fbi.
00:22:50.728 --> 00:22:52.864
Look, these voices may have not been known ahead of time,
00:22:52.864 --> 00:22:55.066
But you're right, 'cause of chuck grassley
00:22:55.066 --> 00:22:56.267
And some other people.
00:22:56.267 --> 00:22:57.735
Now we know there at least were people on the inside
00:22:57.735 --> 00:22:59.437
Questioning what was going on
00:22:59.437 --> 00:23:01.306
Because they were willing to speak up.
00:23:01.306 --> 00:23:03.474
- look, i think organizations like the aclj
00:23:03.474 --> 00:23:05.977
And other non-government organizations
00:23:05.977 --> 00:23:08.613
Have a real role to play.
00:23:08.613 --> 00:23:10.582
Transparency, suing, taking things to the court,
00:23:11.583 --> 00:23:14.419
And then highlighting them to the public.
00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:16.688
Aclj does this really well.
00:23:16.688 --> 00:23:18.756
We have lawyers, we have people who take action.
00:23:18.756 --> 00:23:21.059
We don't just talk about this.
00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:22.827
We're actually working on the substance.
00:23:22.827 --> 00:23:24.696
And so i hope people will partner with us,
00:23:24.696 --> 00:23:27.498
Become a member, help us be able to do this job.
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We're all here because we wanna make our world better.
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We wanna hold government to account.
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And that requires having lawyers and other people
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Behind the scenes, not just people on the front
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Talking about these issues.
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And so i hope people will join us.
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It's an incredible organization,
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And it's why i wanted to join right after
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I left the trump administration.
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I'm incredibly proud to be a part of the aclj.
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- [jordan] as always, let me thank everybody at tbn
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For providing this time to us at no cost so we
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Can update you on the most important issues of the day.
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From all of us at the aclj, thanks, tbn.
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Sekulow - Shocking FBI Trump Raid Docs Declassified

December 30, 2025 | 24:17

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