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Documents related to the search warrant for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., are photographed Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart agreed to make public documents, including the warrant's cover sheet, the Justice Department's motion to seal the documents and the judge's order requiring them to be sealed. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

Documents related to the search warrant for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., are photographed Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart agreed to make public documents, including the warrant's cover sheet, the Justice Department's motion to seal the documents and the judge's order requiring them to be sealed. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

On Aug. 8, with search warrant in hand, the FBI entered former President Trump's private Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and extracted 700 pages worth of 11 classified documents, four of which were listed as top secret.

The event has tipped off Cherokee County residents to possible security violations by the former president, which has locals asking whether U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was justified in calling for the search, or whether the event was politically motivated.

As early as 2017, Trump was criticized for not using Camp David, the presidential retreat established during the Eisenhower administration in Western Maryland. He broke tradition of his immediate predecessors by waiting five months before visiting the retreat, which he called "rustic" and a "dump," and after several visits, he established his personal residence as the presidential getaway.

"I don't consider this a raid on Mar-a-Lago," said Yolette Ross, Cherokee County Democratic chair. "It was the FBI executing a search warrant, a warrant signed by a judge, to retrieve documents that by rights belonged to the National Archives. This is not a partisan issue; however, the former president is trying to make it into one."

She said locals need to consider the Presidential Record Act, which was created in the 1970s in response to abuses of power during the Nixon administration. The act calls for documents prepared for the president to be considered public property and are therefore overseen by the National Archives when a president leaves office.

"The former president has ignored many opportunities to return the documents, hence the search warrant. No other president has taken classified documents to their primary residence; it's unprecedented. Donald Trump is trying to portray himself as a victim of government abuse, when in reality, he is the one who is abusing the system. Why were classified documents in his possession? For what purpose?" she said.

Dell Barnes, Cherokee County Democratic Party vice chair, believes the raid was necessary.

"The proceedings from the former president's legal team seem to indicate there is more going on than what his team is telling us. It is appropriate to continue the investigations at this point," said Barnes.

Shannon Grimes, Cherokee County Libertarian Party chair, said a bureaucratic process needs to be followed to clear the release of documents that were in the possession of the former president. He thinks politics plays a part on how news stories are framed, but that the investigation should continue nevertheless.

"The real or perceived politicization of government force is concerning. Of course, the only real solution is to give government less ability to use force," said Grimes.

In a Facebook Saturday Forum, TDP readers were asked what most closely aligns with their reaction to the search-and-seizer operation, and 75 indicated Trump never should have brought top secret information to his private residence. They said the public should be concerned about what he may have done with this information, and that charges should be considered; two people said that as POTUS, Trump was justified in taking top secret information to his primary residence, but he should have returned it after having left office; and six said the FBI was not justified in raiding Trump's home, and that he had every right to retain top secret information for personal use, and this was politically motivated and overblown. Five said none of the options aligned with their beliefs.

"He could have given our enemies top secret info, especially Putin," said Gina Aunko Cole.

Eric Swanson said the raid was justified.

"The bottom line is that Trump had taken top secret documents to his private home, presumably after he left office where they could easily fall into the wrong hands. I think the FBI raid was justified, and if there is proof that Trump broke the law, I hope someone will finally hold him accountable for it," said Swanson.

Jack Hendrix wants to know more information about where the documents were located.

"Was it government issued, or government approved?" he asked.

Several respondents do not agree the raid should have taken place, or question its timing.

"This was all politically motivated," said Stephani Kaufman Bayhylle. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander. The timing has everything to do with 'muddying the waters' right before the midterms. My guess is in the end, just like with Hillary, no persuasive evidence of systemic, deliberate mishandling of classified information will be found."

Officials with the Cherokee County Republican Party was reached for comment, but a response was not received before press time.

The U.S. Department of Justice released the Mar-a-Lago search affidavit with several portions blacked out on Aug. 26.

At press time, very little of that material had been made public, but the situation was evolving, and the latest versions of the story will be on the TDP website.

Readers were asked on the TDP website if the FBI found anything of substance in their search of former President Trump's home in Florida, what should happen next. Fifty-three percent said he should do prison time; 26% said nothing should happen, because they are convinced he didn't do anything wrong; 16% said he should be sanctioned and pay a fine, as well as not be able to seek office; 3% are undecided; and 1% said nothing should happen, because taking action would further divide the country.

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