We didn't see the Trump affidavit Thursday — but we did learn a lot

Thursday's court proceedings have already "helped advance the story in ways that matter," writes MaddowBlog's Steve Benen. [View in browser]( [Image]( August 19, 2022 THE LATEST [Alternate text] [We didn't see the Trump affidavit Thursday — but we did learn a lot]( by Steve Benen A federal judge on Thursday declined to unseal the probable cause affidavit used to secure a search of former President Donald Trump's Florida estate – but said he was inclined to unseal at least part of it pending another hearing with Justice Department lawyers in the next few days. Americans on both sides of the aisle are waiting anxiously for whatever information we can get related to the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago and the crimes the DOJ believes may have been committed there. But in the meantime, Thursday's court proceedings have already "helped advance the story in ways that matter," [writes MaddowBlog's Steve Benen](. "For example, we now know that the criminal investigation is in its 'early stages' — a point that probably ought to cause considerable discomfort for the former president — and there are 'several' witnesses with valuable information." Read Steve Benen'sfull analysis](//link.msnbc.com/click/28782631.74413/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi9zaG91bGQtbGl6LWNoZW5leS1ydW4tcHJlc2lkZW50LW4xMjk4MDMyP2NpZD1lbWxfbWRhXzIwMjIwODE5JnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914Cce4ab9c4//link.msnbc.com/click/28782631.74413/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi9zaG91bGQtbGl6LWNoZW5leS1ydW4tcHJlc2lkZW50LW4xMjk4MDMyP2NpZD1lbWxfbWRhXzIwMjIwODE5JnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914Ece4ab9c4//link.msnbc.com/click/28782631.74413/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi9zaG91bGQtbGl6LWNoZW5leS1ydW4tcHJlc2lkZW50LW4xMjk4MDMyP2NpZD1lbWxfbWRhXzIwMjIwODE5JnVzZXJfZW1haWw9ZDdkYzc0NTE3Mjk3YjM5NzFhYTE0ZDZmMzMxMTM1YTA4NzhmOGY2NDBmYTFhMTAxOWYxNTdiNjVjMWI1ZGQxZA/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914Gce4ab9c4 in your Friday [MSNBC Daily](. Stay informed with curated match-ups, race updates and key midterms analysis from experts like Steve Kornacki in our new pop-up elections newsletter: Countdown to Midterms. [CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP](     TOP STORIES [Alternate text] [Chris Geidner]( [A new lawsuit highlights Ron DeSantis' stark descent toward autocracy]( The courts shouldn't allow this subversion of democracy, and the voters shouldn't forget that DeSantis tried it. [Read More.]( [Ja'han Jones]( [Matt Gaetz targeted by MAGA monster he helped create]( Rep. Gaetz is learning what it's like to be cast as a villain in the pro-Trump conspiracy theories he normally supports. [Read More.]( [Hayes Brown]( [The real reason Rick Scott is making things up about the IRS]( Sen. Scott has turned LinkedIn into a source for IRS hiring lies. [Read More.](//link.msnbc.com/click/28782631.74413/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubXNuYmMuY29tL29waW5pb24vbXNuYmMtb3Bpbmlvbi93aHktcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtY2hyaXN0aWFuLW5hdGlvbmFsaXNtLXNvLWRhbmdlcm91cy1uMTI5NzUyNz9jaWQ9ZW1sX21kYV8yMDIyMDgxOSZ1c2VyX2VtYWlsPWQ3ZGM3NDUxNzI5N2IzOTcxYWExNGQ2ZjMzMTEzNWEwODc4ZjhmNjQwZmExYTEwMTlmMTU3YjY1YzFiNWRkMWQ/58292da26e4adc7b0b8b4914B450269e9 [Ja'han Jones]( [Brian Kemp may have damning Trump info. But he doesn’t want to tell a jury.]( For the record, there's no 'you're cramping my style' defense for defying a subpoena. [Read More.](   TOP VIDEOS [Alternate text] [Katy Tur]( [Judge orders DOJ to submit redactions before unsealing portions of Mar-a-Lago affidavit]( [All In]( ['Cult of criminality': Long list of Trump allies convicted of crimes keeps growing]( [The Beat With Ari]( [Trump hires Gucci Mane's lawyer to handle 'smoke' in Georgia criminal probe]( [The ReidOut]( [Pollster explains the 'big earthquake' that changed the dynamic of 2022 elections](   MORE FROM MSNBC [Alternate text] This week on 'Into America,' writer Damon Young joins Trymaine to talk about his new advice column in The Washington Post, some of the best and worst advice he's received and what his conversations around race look like now. [Listen now](, wherever you get your podcasts.   WITHpod is thrilled to share its first live mailbag, which was hosted on Twitter Spaces. Join as Chris and producer Doni Holloway go through listener questions, discuss feedback and share pod updates. You're in for a special treat as Chris also serves as a podcast "board operator" for the first time!   [Image] [Image]   [Privacy]( [Unsubscribe](listvar=sub_daily)