Trump impeachment attorney: Better for information from search warrant affidavit to come out now

Attorney David Schoen, who represented former President Trump during his second impeachment trial, called on Thursday for the release the affidavit justifying the search warrant executed last week at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. 

Following the Aug. 8 search at Trump’s Florida home, the Justice Department has released the accompanying search warrant, but not the affidavit itself, which is set to the be the subject of a Thursday afternoon hearing.

“Speaking to the American people, to the extent I can as an American citizen, I wanna know what’s in there,” Schoen said on CNN’s “New Day.” 

“The risks would be that information — negative information — comes in, but that’s going to have to come in one way or another one day. I think you’re better off testing it now.” 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has cautioned that releasing the affidavit could compromise the integrity of the ongoing investigation, while Trump has called for its release. 

The former president wrote on his TruthSocial account Monday that the document should be shared “in the interest of TRANSPARENCY.”

Following the search and questions about its basis, the DOJ asked a judge to unseal the search warrant. Related documents revealed that the FBI recovered 11 sets of classified documents that were allegedly stored improperly at the Palm Beach, Fla., resort past the end of Trump’s presidential term.

Schoen on Thursday sidestepped further questions about the release of surveillance footage from the Mar-a-Lago search and footage subpoenaed by the FBI that reportedly alarmed investigators, saying he’s “in favor of full disclosure of everything.” 

“There are always issues regarding privilege and other factors. I’m certainly not aware of enough to be able to say to you today, this should be released or that should be released. I can only tell you my general view is: information is important.”

Schoen defended Trump during his post-Jan. 6, 2021, impeachment trial and is now representing former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon in his contempt of Congress case. 

He said Thursday that he’d been approached about being “a liaison with the Justice Department” a couple months ago, but that he “wasn’t particularly interested in that.”