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[[Former President Donald Trump claims he is being politically persecuted after the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, in what appeared to be part of a long-running investigation of whether he has kept official documents instead of sending them to the National Archives when he left office. White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at the political fallout of the search, including how it may affect Trump’s likely 2024 White House bid.]]
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptTrump FBI Search TV
HEADLINE: Trump Cries Foul After FBI Searches His Home
TEASER: Search is part of investigation into whether Trump took official documents when he left office
PUBLISHED: 08/09/2022 at 8:32 pm
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Holly Franko, Sharon Shahid
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AFP, Reuters, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:22
VID APPROVED BY: Holly Franko
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES: Radio track included.))
((INTRO:))
[[Former President Donald Trump claims he is being politically persecuted after the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, in what appeared to be part of a long-running investigation of whether he has kept official documents instead of sending them to the National Archives when he left office. White House bureau chief Patsy Widakuswara looks at the political fallout of the search, including how it may affect Trump’s likely 2024 White House bid.]]
((NARRATOR))
Following the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the former president sought to paint himself as the victim of a political witch hunt by Democrats.
((NARRATOR))
"As they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop the Republican Party and me once more," Trump said in a fundraising email on Tuesday.
((NARRATOR))
The search, based on a warrant signed by a federal judge, was not coordinated with the White House, and President Joe Biden learned about it through news reports,
((NARRATOR))
said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
((Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary))
“We did not have advance notice of this activity. President Biden has been very clear from before he was elected president and throughout his time in office that the Justice Department conducts its investigations independently. He believes in the rule of law.”
((NARRATOR))
The FBI’s unprecedented search marked a significant escalation of the federal investigation of the former president.
((Radio track: Todd Belt, director of the Political Management program at George Washington University, via Skype.))
((Todd Belt, The George Washington University)) ((Skype))
“It's easy to try to think of this as being a political game, as the Biden administration trying to derail a potential presidential nomination and campaign by Donald Trump. But what's really at issue here is the law. There's a law from 1978 called the Presidential Records Act, and that requires that all the materials used by the president be turned over to the National Archives. This former president, President Trump, has not complied with that.”
((NARRATOR))
Earlier this year, the National Archives notified Congress it had recovered 15 boxes of White House documents from Mar-a-Lago, including classified materials.
((NARRATOR))
Trump continues to publicly flirt with running again for president …
"November 2024, because that's going to be, that's the big one."
((NARRATOR))
And in the short run, the investigation might be good for his political fortunes.
((Radio track: Shannon Bow O'Brien teaches presidential politics at the University of Texas at Austin, speaking via Skype.))
((Shannon Bow O'Brien, University of Texas at Austin)) ((Skype))
“It’s going to help with fundraising. He's getting a lot of sympathy from his bases. But in the long run, it might be problematic. This isn't going to go away, if he indeed behaved inappropriately and there's material there that they will move forward for prosecution. That's not anything that can be swept under the table.”
((NARRATOR))
Trump’s other legal woes include a probe investigating his part in the January 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, and allegations of illegal dealings connected to the 2020 presidential elections.
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington D.C.
Embargo DateAugust 10, 2022 21:15 EDT
BylinePatsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington.
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
