LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced his support for unsealing an FBI search warrant in an Aug. 11 announcement.
The announcement was in response to a news conference held earlier that day by Attorney General Merrick Garland about what he called “substantial public interest” in a search warrant executed Aug. 8 at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort home. During the conference, Garland said he had asked the court for permission for the search warrant to be unsealed.
“Attorney General Garland’s news statement today was a day late but still important. The American public needs to know the basic facts behind the Mar-a-Lago search. The unsealing of the probable cause affidavit is appropriate and necessary. If we don’t have the fact, we jump to conclusions and we often jump in the wrong direction.”
Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Aug. 11
Typically search warrants remain sealed. Since the Aug. 8 search, protests have sprung up, and reportedly threats have been made against FBI agents.
Trump had stated the search was politically motivated.
Hutchinson had tweeted not long after the Aug. 8 search: “The search at Mar-a Lago of a former President is unprecedented & alarming. We must see the probable cause affidavit before making a judgment. Normally that would be under seal but since Trump announced the raid then the probable cause should be made public.”
