In a surprising turn of events Tuesday, former Democrat New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo demanded answers from the Department of Justice to explain why it sent FBI agents to raid the Florida home of former President Donald Trump.
"[The Department of Justice] must immediately explain the reason for its raid and it must be more than a search for inconsequential archives, or it will be viewed as a political tactic, and undermine any future, credible, investigation and legitimacy of Jan. 6 investigations," Cuomo posted on Twitter Tuesday morning.
FBI agents raided Mar-a-Lago, Trump's residence in Palm Beach, Florida, Monday, reportedly looking for boxes of "classified" materials the former president took from the White House in 2021, the New York Times reported.
According to the report, agents were searching for 15 boxes of classified documents that were supposed to be turned over to the National Archives but were kept at Trump's residence instead.
"After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate," Trump said in a statement Monday, the Times reported. "Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries."
Republicans also expressed outrage and concern over the raid, saying it showed how "weaponized" the DOJ is under President Joe Biden.
"The FBI raid on President Trump's home is an unprecedented political weaponization of the Justice Department," South Dakota's Republican Gov. Kristi Noem said on Twitter. "They've been after President Trump as a candidate, as President, and now as a former President. Using the criminal justice system in this manner is un-American."
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told the Washington Post that the raid, coming within 100 days of the midterm elections, is "problematic."
"We're 100 days away from midterm elections. President Trump is likely going to run again in 2024," Graham told the publication. "Launching such an investigation of a former president this close to an election is beyond problematic."
Cuomo, however, is in a different boat.
The former governor was forced to resign amid a torrent of sexual assault and harassment allegations in August 2021.
"The best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing," Cuomo said in a televised address at the time.
Cuomo was critical of the "politics," even coming from within his own party during the scandal and an investigation by the state's Attorney General Leticia James, a fellow Democrat vying for the office herself, forcing him from office.
"I am a fighter, and my instinct is to fight through this controversy because I truly believe it is politically motivated. I believe it is unfair and it is untruthful," he said at the time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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