Sacramento Trump operative testifies to Florida grand jury in Mar-a-Lago document probe

The federal investigation into former Republican President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents has pulled in a familiar face to the Sacramento area: California Republican operative and former Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich.

Budowich testified before a federal grand jury in Miami on Wednesday, according to the Miami Herald. He tweeted about it afterward.

“Today, in what can only be described as a bogus and deeply troubling effort to use the power of government to ‘get’ Trump, I fulfilled a legal obligation to testify in front a federal grand jury and I answered every question honestly,” he wrote.

He added that he “will not be intimidated by this weaponization of government.”

The grand jury testimony is part of an investigation by special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. It seeks to determine whether Trump attempted to stymie a federal investigation into his keeping hundreds of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Budowich, 26, a native Sacramentan, now runs a super PAC called MAGA Inc., He has worked to continue amplifying Trump’s voice as the latter has dealt with social media bans and a decrease in prominence since leaving office in 2021.

A congressional committee found “credible evidence” that Budowich was involved in activities leading up to the insurrection in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. He denies having any involvement in the proceedings of that day.

This story was originally published June 7, 2023 at 11:49 AM with the headline "Sacramento Trump operative testifies to Florida grand jury in Mar-a-Lago document probe."