Former US President Donald Trump's Republican allies slammed the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago residence and threatened to begin an investigation into the incident.
The FBI's operation is a component of a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into Trump's storage of records that he was mandated to turn over to the National Archives and Records Administration upon stepping down.
Trump revealed the search in a statement on Monday evening, claiming that earlier that morning, authorities had searched his resort and home in Palm Beach, Florida.
NPR reported that Senior Republicans in the House are seeking further disclosure from the DOJ and FBI in the wake of the search. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, promised to start a probe in a statement on Monday evening.
McCarthy stated: "When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar."
The House Judiciary and Oversight committees' Republican members are looking forward to hearing from DOJ and FBI representatives this week.
During a Monday evening interview on Fox News, Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan criticized both Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray and demanded that they both brief the Judiciary Committee, of which Jordan is the ranking member.
According to a letter from Ohio Republican Congressman and ranking member Michael Turner, the Oversight Committee has also requested a briefing from Wray.
Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland urged the Biden administration to make the records approving the FBI search public "at a minimum."
White House Claims Pres. Biden Was Not Aware of Mar-a-Lago Raid
Karine Jean-Pierre, a spokesperson for the White House, stated on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden was not informed of the search and forwarded any inquiries to the Justice Department.
Jean-Pierre also claimed that the DOJ carries out its investigations objectively.
"The president was not briefed, was not aware of it. No one at the White House was given a heads up," she said. "We learned just like the American public did yesterday."
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell stressed that the justice department "should already have provided answers to the American people" and that it must do so soon.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House, said that she only became aware of the FBI agents' "visit" when she saw public accounts on her phone, per BBC.
Pelosi told NBC News that "justification" is required to obtain a warrant. "And that says that no one is above the law, not even a president or former president of the United States."
Trump To Testify Under Oath in State Probe Over His Company
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has said that he will testify under oath as part of a civil inquiry by the State of New York into the commercial practices of his company, the Trump Organization.
Trump announced via a post on his social media platform Truth Social that he would meet with New York Attorney General Letitia James on Wednesday, as per an Al Jazeera report.
In January, Trump had been summoned by James' office, which has been conducting a probe focusing on whether the former Republican president and his company misstated the value of assets, including golf courses and skyscrapers, to mislead lenders and tax authorities.
A democratic critic of Trump, James claims in court documents that her agency has found "significant" proof that the Trump Organization "used fraudulent or misleading" asset assessments to acquire a range of financial advantages, "including loans, insurance coverage, and tax deductions."
She has stated that the inquiry may result in legal action being taken against the parties concerned, including lawsuits.
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