FL Grand Jury Involved in Trump Probe  06/07 06:03

   Federal prosecutors are using a grand jury in Florida as part of their 
investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents at former 
President Donald Trump's Palm Beach property, a person familiar with the matter 
said Tuesday night.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal prosecutors are using a grand jury in Florida as 
part of their investigation into the possible mishandling of classified 
documents at former President Donald Trump's Palm Beach property, a person 
familiar with the matter said Tuesday night.

   The grand jury is in addition to a separate panel that has been meeting in 
Washington for months to consider charges against Trump over the retention of 
hundreds of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and potential obstruction of the 
government's efforts to reclaim the records.

   It is not clear why prosecutors are using an additional grand jury, which 
was described to The Associated Press by a person who insisted on anonymity to 
discuss secret proceedings, or which witnesses might be testifying before it.

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

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

   The investigation has centered not only on the possession of classified 
documents, including at the top-secret level, but also on the refusal of Trump 
to return the records when asked and on possible obstruction. The FBI last year 
issued a subpoena for classified records at the property, and after coming to 
suspect that Trump and his representatives had not returned all the documents, 
returned with a search warrant and recovered an additional 100 documents with 
classification markings.

   Investigators have questioned a Trump associate who was seen on surveillance 
camera moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago. As part of an obstruction probe 
centered in part on surveillance footage, they more recently have expressed 
interest in a worker's draining of a pool at the resort last October, an act 
that caused a flood at the property, according to another person who spoke on 
condition of anonymity. That area of interest was first reported by CNN.

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