(Reuters) – The following are quotes from and reactions to the release on Friday under court order of a U.S. Department of Justice partially redacted affidavit that investigators used to justify the FBI’s Aug. 8 search of former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida:
AFFIDAVIT:
“The government is conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorized spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” the 38-page document began.
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR MARK WARNER:
“It appears, based on the affidavit unsealed this morning, that among the improperly handled documents at Mar-a-Lago were some of our most sensitive intelligence – which is one reason the Senate Intelligence Committee has requested, on a bipartisan basis, a damage assessment of any national security threat posed by the mishandling of this information. The Department of Justice investigation must be allowed to proceed without interference.” Warner chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.
REPUBLICAN REP. DAN BISHOP:
“So much for transparency,” Bishop tweeted alongside a photo of redacted sections of the affidavit. Bishop is a member of the House of Representatives Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.
The Department of Justice requested redactions, which were approved by a judge, in order to protect its law enforcement agents, sources and sensitive material related to the investigation.
(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; editing by Richard Cowan and Grant McCool)
