The 4th Amendment and General Warrants

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
— 4th Amendment, United States Constitution


Property to be seized:
All physical documents and records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 793,2071, or 1519, including the following:
> a. Any physical documents with classification markings, along with any containers/boxes (including any other contents) in which such documents are located, as well as any other containers/boxes that are collectively stored or found together with the aforementioned documents and containers/boxes;
> b. Information, including communications in any form, regarding the retrieval, storage, or transmission of national defense information or classified material;
> c. Any government and/or Presidential Records created between January 20.2017, and January 20, 2021; or
> d. Any evidence of the knowing alteration, destruction, or concealment of any government and/or Presidential Records, or of any documents with classification markings
— Search warrant for Mar-A-Lago, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida

The 4th Amendment was largely a reaction to the British government’s practice of issuing “General Warrants” which allowed the authorities to search a subject’s premises for any evidence of anything that they wanted to seize or could use to prosecute the subject. British soldiers would show up at your door, present the warrant (or not, if they didn’t want to) and then turn your house upside down, looking any any “evidence” that could be used against you.

All physical documents and records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 793,2071, or 1519.”

Read that carefully and look at the commas. The warrant was for “evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items…”

Did the Justice Department issue a “General Warrant” to go through Trump’s home looking for anything they could use against him? You tell me. They did it to Donald Trump, a billionaire, a former President and political opponent of the current administration. They can certainly do it to you. The difference is, no one will be hearing about it on Fox News or anywhere else when they come to your door.