WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland kept a low profile once again Wednesday after the FBI’s search of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.
Some Republicans have called the search politically motivated.
A legal analyst who spoke with NewsNation doesn’t believe that is the case.
“There’s simply no evidence that I’m aware of to support that,” said former federal prosecutor Mitchell Epner. “Merrick Garland has absolutely taken the time to build a case from the ground up slowly without seeking any headlines.”
Still, calls for Garland to break his silence on the ongoing investigation remain.
“What we need to hear is a response from the Department of Justice and the FBI,” said Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
In news briefings, the White House has consistently referred questions regarding the investigation to the Justice Department, and has declined to comment further.
Bruce Reinhart, the federal magistrate judge who signed off on the search warrant, was sworn in March of 2018.
Magistrate judges are appointed by a panel of federal judges and are not nominated by the president, nor confirmed by the Senate.
Reinhart was in private practice for 10 years with a focus on white-collar crime. After that, he spent nearly 10 years working with the Justice Department’s Public Integrity section.
According to public records, he has contributed funds to both Republican and Democratic candidates.