Trump requests special master to review FBI Mar-a-Lago raid evidence

Washington [US], August 23 (ANI): Former US President Donald Trump requested a Special Master be appointed to review the evidence taken by the FBI during a raid on Trump’s Florida residence at Mar-a-Lago and a more detailed receipt of seized property was provided, Sputnik, reported citing the court filings. Trump filed a motion in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Monday seeking an order that appoints a special master and requires federal authorities to provide a more detailed receipt of seized property.

The motion also requested an order requiring the return of any item seized that was not within the scope of the government’s search warrant and as per the court filings, the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago are “presumptively privileged” as presidential materials and must be evaluated by a neutral Special Master reviewer. “Only an evaluation by a neutral reviewer, a Special Master, can secure the sanctity of these privileged materials,” the filings said.

The government initially informed Trump’s lawyers that it planned on using a “filter team” to review the seized materials, however, Trump’s team argued in the filings that their protocols do not ensure that prosecution team members will not become aware of privileged materials.

Notably, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago residence earlier this month using a search warrant that listed potential violations of the Espionage Act involving mishandling of classified materials as a reason for the raid. A federal judge is currently determining whether to release parts of an affidavit that backed the search warrant.

Trump has condemned the raid as a weaponization of the US justice system against him and claimed to have properly stored and declassified sensitive materials kept at Mar-a-Lago, Sputnik reported. The FBI seized 11 sets of classified records during the search of former US President Donald J Trump’s Florida property Mar-a-Lago during the early weeks of August, including some materials marked as “top secret/sensitive compartmented information”.

The judge authorized the FBI to search what the bureau called the “45 Office” as well as “all other rooms or areas” at Mar-a-Lago that were available to former President Trump and his staff for storing boxes and documents. The search warrant identified three possible federal crimes as the reasoning behind the search: violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice and criminal handling of government records.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home which is a mansion with approximately 58 bedrooms, and 33 bathrooms, on a 17-acre estate in Palm Beach, Florida on August 8. (ANI)