Special Counsel Gains Access to Trump’s Twitter Direct Messages in Election Subversion Case
Twitter, now rebranded as X, has complied with a search warrant, handing over at least 32 of former President Donald Trump’s private messages to the special counsel investigating alleged election subversion. This move comes after a legal tussle involving a missed deadline and a $350,000 fine imposed on the company.
| Facts of the News |
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| Twitter, now known as X, complied with a search warrant to provide Trump’s direct messages |
| The company faced a $350,000 fine for missing the initial deadline set by the court |
| The special counsel is investigating Trump for alleged election subversion |
The court had authorized the search warrant in January 2023, along with a nondisclosure order, giving Twitter a 10-day window to submit the requested materials. The sought-after data spanned from October 2020 to January 2021, a critical period encompassing the November 2020 presidential election and the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. However, Twitter engaged in a legal battle with the US government, seeking to vacate or amend the nondisclosure order before complying.
Twitter expressed concerns over meeting the deadline due to insufficient notice and hesitated to adhere to the nondisclosure order without modifications, citing the “intense publicity around the investigation.” The company also feared Trump might invoke executive privilege over portions of his account, a claim federal prosecutors dismissed. Despite the turmoil, Twitter eventually handed over 32 direct message items, which the prosecutors described as a “minuscule proportion of the total production.”
Prosecutors emphasized the necessity of maintaining secrecy in the investigation, noting Trump’s attempts to influence or undermine the inquiry into his alleged mishandling of classified information. They highlighted Trump’s efforts to publicize the existence of the Mar-a-Lago warrant and his propagation of false election fraud claims post the 2020 presidential defeat, which incited violence at the US Capitol on January 6.
| Mar-a-Lago Warrant Defined |
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| The Mar-a-Lago warrant refers to a legal document permitting the search and potential seizure of evidence at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s resort in Palm Beach, Florida. It is part of the ongoing investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified information. Learn more about Mar-a-Lago on Wikipedia. |
What was the role of the nondisclosure order in Twitter’s legal battle with the US government?
The nondisclosure order was a court directive that accompanied the search warrant, instructing Twitter to maintain secrecy regarding the warrant’s details. Twitter sought to vacate or amend this order before complying with the warrant, leading to a legal battle with the US government.
What concerns did Twitter raise regarding compliance with the court’s directives?
Twitter raised several concerns, including insufficient notice to meet the deadline and the intense publicity surrounding the investigation. The company also feared that Trump might assert executive privilege over parts of his account, leading to further complications in complying with the court’s directives.
Why was maintaining secrecy deemed crucial in the investigation?
Maintaining secrecy was considered vital to prevent any undue influence or attempts to undermine the investigation. The prosecutors noted Trump’s previous efforts to influence the inquiry into his alleged mishandling of classified information, including publicizing the Mar-a-Lago warrant, necessitating secrecy in the process.
Source: The Guardian
