Congressman Scott Perry says the FBI has seized his phone. He is linked to one of the many legal tangles that could stand in the way of Donald Trump, if he wants to become president again.
Updated just now
–
– As with President Trump last night, the Department of Justice chose unnecessary and aggressive procedures instead of simply contacting my lawyers. These forms of banana republic strategies should worry every citizen, the Trump supporter said just before midnight Norwegian time to Fox News.
Banana Republic is a derogatory term used for several small, politically unstable states in Latin America.
The congressman is one of Trump’s most loyal supportersand is also one of those being investigated by the January 6 Committee in the House of Representatives after the storming of Congress in last year’s election.
It is not clear why the FBI allegedly seized Perry’s phone, and they have not commented on the case.
Regarding the FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s residence on the night of Monday Norwegian time, should be the background classified documents that Trump is accused of keeping. Neither the FBI nor the Department of Justice in the United States have commented on the reason.
But mishandling of documents is far from the only thing that can stand in the way of the former president, who has given clear signals that he has a desire to become president of the United States again in 2024.
More legal entanglements
The search of Trump’s luxury residence has left his supporters furious. Trump has himself described the incident in strong terms: Among other things, he has drawn comparisons to the Watergate scandal, and called it all an attack from the radical left, because they do not want him to run for president at the next election.
Under US law, it can be a criminal offense to remove public documents from the White House.
It did Trump after he resigned, and according to the National Archives was some of the documents are classified. In february Trump had to hand over documents.
But the controversy was not just about the mishandling of documents:
This happened a month after the committee investigating the congressional hearing on January 6, 2021 was given permission to go through all the documents from Trump’s time as president. Then Trump had longer time attempted to legally prevent the committee from gaining access to documents from the National Archives.
Earlier that month, the National Archives claimed that Trump had demolished several documents in pieces, which had to be taped together.
– I don’t think any of Trump’s supporters care particularly much about any documents that have been mishandled. It may seem that if he has had a bigger role in the storming, it could mean a blow to his popularity, says Sigrid Rege Gårdsvoll, commentator at Amerikanspolitikk.no to VG.
Seven people lost his life in the chaos that ensued when hundreds of Trump supporters, several of them armed, broke into the seat of the National Assembly in Washington. They were furiously convinced that the presidential election had been stolen from them.
Trump has been accused of inciting riots. In late July, it was confirmed that the US Department of Justice is investigating his actions and attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
This also includes Trump’s role in storming Congress.
Read more about what happened during the storming in this case.
Electoral interference and financial fraud
There are also ongoing investigations into Trump for possible election meddling and alleged financial crime:
In a phone call on Saturday, January 2, Trump tried to persuade Georgia Elections Commissioner Brad Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes”so he would end up with more votes than Joe Biden in the state.
–The state prosecutor’s office opened an investigation, with a grand jury who has the right to subpoena witnesses.
Attorney General of the State of New York, Letitia James, has an ongoing civil investigation around whether Trump has stated the wrong value of properties, such as golf courses and skyscrapers, in order to obtain loans and tax benefits.
In parallel, a criminal investigation by the attorney general’s office in Manhattan is ongoing against Trump because he must have given the wrong impressionk of property values to get favorable bank loans and avoid tax.
–Long history of litigation
Trump has already been involved in more than 3,500 lawsuits, according to a survey USA Today did in 2016.
In 2017, he had to, among other things pay 215 million kroner in a settlement, after he was accused of fraud by people who have taken Trump University courses that were supposed to teach people how to make money in real estate.
– He is a man who is used to being in legal dilemmas, says US expert and criminal law researcher Sofie Høgestøl to VG.
There is nothing legally standing in the way of running for president if you have a criminal conviction, and far from it if you are under investigation.
– But what will be the political consequences of being under investigation by the police?
Ultimately, it is the voters who must decide, says Høgestøl.
–
