The grassroots organization, Tea Party Patriots Action (TPPA), filed a Complaint of Judicial Misconduct against U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who approved the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago.
The complaint, filed with the Judicial Council of the Eleventh Circuit, accused Reinhart of “unethical and prejudicial conduct” for signing the search warrant to raid Mar-a-Lago due to his alleged “hostility” toward former President Donald Trump. It further called for the judge to be removed from the federal magistracy over his alleged political biases.
The judge reportedly lambasted Trump publicly on social media. The complaint referenced a Facebook post in 2017 where he said the then-president-elect “doesn’t have the moral stature to kiss John Lewis’ feet.” He also allegedly shared a post in October, 2017, from a page called “WokeFolks,” which explained white privilege.
Reinhart also recused himself from Trump’s lawsuit against former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, citing a “conflict of interest.” The former president sued Clinton and the Democratic National Convention in March for spreading “malicious” accusations that his campaign colluded with Russia.
🚨 NEW: We just filed a federal complaint against Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, the Obama-appointed magistrate who approved the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago.
We are DEMANDING that he be removed, immediately.https://t.co/SyjcMQhnBx
— Tea Party Patriots (@TPPatriots) August 24, 2022
The complaint provided a Federal Elections Commission (FEC) receipt showing that Reinhart donated $1,000 to Obama For America on October 24, 2008. He donated the same amount to the Obama Victory Fund three days later.
“Clearly, Judge Reinhart is a partisan and has publicly expressed his partisan views against former President Trump,” the complaint read. “His antipathy for the former President is such that he should have recused when presented with the search warrant for the highly problematic search of President Trump’s home in Florida.”
Additionally, the complaint cited Reinhart’s alleged ethical issues, particularly surrounding his 2008 resignation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami. The day following his resignation, the judge acted as counsel for employees of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was then under investigation for soliciting prostitution from minors by the same attorney’s office. (REPORT: Judge Who Approved FBI Raid On Trump Linked To Jeffrey Epstein)
TPPA Honorary Chairman and CEO Jenny Beth Martin said in a statement exclusively sent to the Daily Caller that Reinhart should have recused himself from the case over his alleged biases.
“‘Equal justice under the law’ is one of the foundational principles of America’s legal system. President Trump was denied that basic legal protection when Judge Reinhart approved the warrant on Trump’s residence,” Martin said. “Judge Reinhart should have recused himself because he clearly had a conflict of interest. He publicly denigrated Trump in social media posts and donated to Democrat politicians, among other things. Judge Reinhart should be disciplined and removed. The complaint Tea Party Patriots Action filed against Judge Reinhart can get that process started.”
The U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, where Reinhart serves, did not respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.
