WORLD NEWS | Florida grand jury to participate in DOJ probe of Trump documents

WASHINGTON, June 7 (AP) — Federal prosecutors are opening a Florida grand jury investigation into possible mishandling of classified documents at former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate, a person familiar with the matter said late Tuesday.

In addition to the grand jury, a separate panel has been meeting for months in Washington to consider the charges against Trump for keeping hundreds of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and for potentially preventing the government from recovering them. documented effort.

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It’s unclear why prosecutors are using the additional grand jury, described to The Associated Press by a person who insisted on anonymity to discuss the confidential proceedings, or which witnesses might testify before the grand jury.

Various witnesses, including Trump lawyers, close aides to the former president and Trump Organization officials, appeared before a Washington grand jury last year. But the use of a different grand jury in Florida suggests that prosecutors may also be looking at at least some potential charges in the state.

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The Mar-a-Lago investigation, led by special counsel Jack Smith’s team of prosecutors, is believed to be in its final stages, with a charging decision expected soon. Trump’s lawyers met with officials, including Smith, at the Justice Department on Monday as part of an effort by the legal team to raise concerns about what they say were misconduct by prosecutors and to try to fight a possible indictment.

The investigation focuses not only on the possession of classified documents, including top-secret ones, but also on Trump’s refusal to return the records when asked about possible obstruction. The FBI issued a subpoena for classified records on the property last year, returned with a search warrant and recovered another 100 documents marked as classified after suspecting that Trump and his representatives had not returned all the documents.

Investigators questioned a Trump aide who was seen on surveillance camera moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago. As part of an impediment investigation centered in part on surveillance footage, they recently expressed interest in learning about a worker who drained the resort’s swimming pool last October, an act that led to flooding on the property, according to another person who spoke on condition of anonymity. anonymous.

A spokesman for Smith declined to comment Tuesday night on the existence of another grand jury. (Associated Press)

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