There’s another subpoena related to the National Archives, but it doesn’t involve the Mar-a-Lago raid or anything else involving classified material. Instead, it’s about January 6. 

CNN reported Monday that the Justice Department issued a new grand jury subpoena as part of its investigation into the U.S. Capitol riot of January 6, 2021. The subpoena was issued on August 17, the report said, “requesting the same documents and information that the Archives had previously handed over to the House select committee investigating January 6." 

The subpoena requests that documents be produced by the end of August. 

The CNN report described the subpoena as “the latest indication that the Justice Department is ramping up its investigation and has broadened the scope of its probe into the potential role White House staff played in events leading up to the attack on the Capitol that day.” 

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported Tuesday that former President Trump had more than 300 classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, including 150 documents retrieved from the president’s Florida estate in January. That number, the newspaper said, “intense concern at the Justice Department and helped trigger the criminal investigation that led F.B.I. agents to swoop into Mar-a-Lago this month seeking to recover more.” 

The story cited “multiple people briefed on the matter.”

The 300 documents consist of the 150 handed over in January, others provided in June, and the further documents seized in the raid earlier this month. The search in early August consisted of 26 boxes, the Times said, including “11 sets of material marked as classified, comprising scores of additional documents. “

The Times also reported that on June 22, the Justice Department had subpoenaed the security footage at Mar-a-Lago. 

And on Tuesday, Trump announced that he was suing to block the Justice Department from reviewing the materials taken from Mar-a-Lago until a “special watchdog” can be appointed to review it. 

“This Mar-a-Lago Break-In, Search, and Seizure was illegal and unconstitutional,” the former president said in a statement along with the lawsuit. 

“And we are taking all actions necessary to get the documents back, which we would have given to them without the necessity of the despicable raid of my home so that I can give them to the National Archives until they are required for the future Donald J. Trump Presidential Library and Museum.”

The Department of Justice responded briefly to the suit. 

 “The Aug. 8 search warrant at Mar-a-Lago was authorized by a federal court upon the required finding of probable cause. The Department is aware of this evening’s motion. The United States will file its response in court.”

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Image: Reuters.