(JustPatriots.com)- A federal judge says she’s inclined to grant former President Donald Trump’s request to appoint a neutral third party to review documents seized by the FBI in a raid on Trump’s Florida home.
Trump appointee U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon for the Southern District of Florida wrote in a filing on Aug. 27 that she chose to let Trump make his case after analyzing his submissions and “extraordinary circumstances.” Before the government can study the data, a so-called special master—usually a retired lawyer or judge—independently removes protected material.
“Pursuant to Rule 53(b) (1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Court’s inherent authority, and without prejudice to the parties’ objections,” Cannon wrote.
According to a property receipt unsealed on Aug. 12, FBI investigators took more than two dozen boxes and 11 sets of secret papers during the raid. Most things have generic names like “A-1 Box” and “Secret Document.”
Cannon’s two-page ruling came a day after Trump’s lawyers filed another demand for independent oversight of the Mar-a-Lago trove after releasing a heavily redacted affidavit supporting the FBI raid.
“The Redacted Affidavit highlights why this Motion should be granted,” Trump’s lawyers wrote to Cannon. It gives essentially no information that would allow Movant to comprehend why the raid took place or what was taken from his residence.
Unredacted lines generate more questions than answers.
Trump said the FBI raid was politically motivated in a post on Truth Social-
“Federal Judge in Florida just took over the Presidential Records Act case, including the unprecedented, unnecessary, and unannounced FBI/DOJ Raid (Break-In!) of my home, Mar-a-Lago,” he wrote. “This assault was done for political purposes just prior to the Midterm Elections (and 2024, of course!). It is a disgrace to our now Third World Nation!”
The DOJ has until Aug. 30 to respond to Trump’s request before a Sept. 1 hearing in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Cannon also ordered the DOJ to produce a “more thorough” inventory of Mar-a-confiscated Lago’s properties and the status of the government’s review. This involves using a “filter team” to isolate confidential documents and “any dissemination beyond the privilege review team.”
Cannon requested the former president and DOJ to describe a special master’s responsibility.
