In the second day of the trial of Paul Manafort, FBI special agent Matthew Mikuska, an 11-year veteran of the bureau, testified in court in Alexandria, Va., saying he was the seizing agent for the government’s search last year.

Mikuska told the jury agents knocked three times on Manafort’s door, but used a key to gain access after receiving no answer.

Mikuska said he did not know how the FBI obtained the key.

One close source to the FBI said the FBI obtained the key from an"intelligence agency".

First off, all these charges against Manafort are all related to events that took place in 2005 and the Justice Dept(Obama's) investigated all this back in 2014 and did not pursue charges.

Regardless of the these "supposed" tax crimes and even if he is found guilty of them, the tactics should scare every American.

Whether you are a Democrat, Independent or Republican the fact that the FBI had a key to open the door of Manforts condo should scare you.

What happens to your civil liberties when the government can obtain the key to your home without your knowledge or a warrant?



Mueller is corrupt and rotten to the core and is using tactics not consistent with our civil rights.

Well, It doesn't scare me, I'd invite them in and cook them some supper but I also have nothing to hide.

It is a violation of illegal search (entering a domicile without permission or a court order). If they had a court order to search a key can be obtained easy enough or they could just battering ram the door.

Its the fact that they had the key in the first place.
How was it obtained?


No word on when the key was obtained or which intelligence agency.
Could have been given to them by an ex girlfriend or someone?

No word on when the key was obtained or which intelligence agency.
Could have been given to them by an ex girlfriend or someone?


Possibly Tom, but even if they got this from a ex or a friend, is that legal or ethical?

I would agree as a home owner, its certainly better then kicking down the door LOL.

It raises some serious questions though..this whole thing stinks!

Actually, the fact that the FBI found a way to avoid breaking down a door would be the absolutely least of my concerns, if I were being investigated for possible crimes, by the FBI.


And one of the many ways that mass media news sites have used over the decades to get people riled up enough to listen through commercials, is to say things such as to draw attention to the fact that the agents had a key, and using that to imply that some great conspiracy is afoot.

Most of the time, all there is to such things, is that the reporter didn't know what was going on, or misunderstood some guess that someone else made.

Well, there's also the possibility of obtaining the key from a property manager.

How likely is it that the FBI serving a search warrant on premises is going to have a locksmith come out and make a key for them?
Crowbar, battering ram, broken window is more likely unless SOMEBODY gives them a key.

For all anyone knows, he might have gave them the key to his home himself?
The information on the specifics is conveniently missing.

Plus, This is one instance in all the cases of searching warrants where a key was even mentioned. If every story tells that the FBI used a key then, something might be up.

First, this is court testimony, not a reporters opinion.
It also seems to be stretch that FBI agent Mikuska who was the agent in charge didn't know where the key came from. Really now, someone hands you a key and you don't ask where it came from?

As far as a "conspiracy" goes, even the judge(Judge T.S. Ellis III) handling this case and knowing the background(that it had already been investigated back in 2014) scolded Mueller's team by saying...and I quote:

"You don't really care about Mr. Manafort's bank fraud,You really care about getting information Mr. Manafort can give you that would reflect on Mr. Trump and lead to his prosecution or impeachment."

So depending on your definition, I think it might meet the level of a conspiracy...JMO

Could be Tom, but in that case I think the agent would have known where the key came from.

Picking home locks is easy.

There is two brands of locks that are unpickable. Schlage Primus is one, Medico is the other. None of which you can get at your local big box store. Nor can you get keys duplicated there.

Schlage Primus keys are franchised. The Lock co. buys that particular key, and you can't get them just anyplace.

Medico's are a very strange looking key. They can only be duplicated on a Medico key machine.

Paul Manafort shoulda spent a few bucks with his local Locksmith.

And you don't think our government (FBI,CIA or NSA) couldn't get a copy of those keys?

An asumption.
What if the key was given to a secratary he was banging and she gave it to an agent in the building she was also banging and he heard about the raid and gave it to his boss and his boss gave it to the night janitor with a note in an envelope to be placed in the desk?

What if's and maybe's do not constitute scary unless one is a conspiracy nut.

The real question is, why would they need to?

Excellent point! In most of these "white collar" crimes like tax evasion and bank fraud, they never do a 6am raid and wouldn't need a key.
Typically they would contact him or her, tell them they have a warrant and tell them get your attorney and come to the office.

Its not like you are trying to surprise a drug dealer who might be armed etc.

They already have all the evidence from bank records, IRS filings etc.
There is nothing "normal" about this case.

When this mueller witch hunt has finally run it's corse, only God knows when that will be. And the inevitable is out there. " no collusion or obstruction. Then mueller , Comey and Roseinstien , and all the party's involved in this massive waste of time , taxpayers money . Should be fired , and jailed. To bad stoning people went away they would make good candidates for public stoning.. The maniforte trial is a kangaroo court. The main investigators of maniforte are all supporters of liberal polititions . No bias? Yea right it's pure B.S....