My quick take on the bribery-for-pardon judicial order:

1) There was a separate ongoing investigation that involved (likely multiple) search warrants that yielded 50 electronic devices seized. That’s a lot of devices, so I’m guessing it was an office that was searched.

1/4

2) upon reviewing these devices, agents identified separate crimes from those under investigation, incl a bribery-for-pardon scheme. They sought permission from the judge to search the devices for further evidence of that scheme. (SW’s are limited to specific offenses.)

2/4

3) that scheme involved a lawyer who, the judge concluded, did not have an attorney-client relationship with the person seeking the pardon. It appears that that lawyer served as an intermediary with the WH, but did not represent the briber, who is currently in jail.

3/4

The bribe appears to include both past political contributions and future political contributions. In addition, I assume the prosecutors took whatever investigative steps they needed to take prior to the disclosure of this order, including approaching members of the scheme.

4/4