The Southern District of New York Announcing Today the Criminal Case IS CLOSED and the Search Warrant Affidavit Materials Will Be Unsealed!
The U.S. Attorney’s Office has officially concluded its investigation into the FBI raid related to the Ashley Biden diary case, marking the end of a significant legal battle.
In a letter submitted to Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York, Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon announced that the grand jury investigation, which led to the charges in United States v. Aimee Harris and Robert Kurlander, as well as the issuance of search warrants, has officially closed. The letter states, “The Government respectfully submits this letter to notify the Court that the grand jury investigation that led to the charges in United States v. Aimee Harris and Robert Kurlander, No. 22 Cr. 457 (LTS), and the issuance of the above-referenced search warrants has concluded… no additional criminal charges are forthcoming.”
This closure follows a prolonged legal battle spearheaded by journalist James O’Keefe, who, along with the support of attorneys Brian Hauss and Brett Kaufman from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), fought to unseal the search warrant materials related to the controversial November 5, 2021, raid at O’Keefe’s home.
The government’s letter further clarifies that it “has no objection to unsealing the Search Warrant Materials with redactions to protect third party privacy and law enforcement interests.” These materials include critical documents such as “the search warrant application, supporting affidavit, return, and any other judicial documents filed in connection with the November 5, 2021 search warrant.”
In a candid conversation, Attorney Jeff Lichtman highlighted how rare the unsealing of such materials is, remarking, “I’ve only seen it ten times in probably thirty years.”
The unsealing of the documents, pending court approval for necessary redactions, will allow the public to access the affidavit, which may shed light on the probable cause—or lack thereof—used to justify the FBI’s raid on O’Keefe’s home. Should the contents of the affidavit raise concerns, O’Keefe has signaled that he may pursue legal action against the DOJ for a potential violation of First Amendment rights.
