Federal judge temporarily blocks the government from using the materials seized from Trump’s home
A big win for former U.S. President Donald Trump on the day that America celebrates the Labor Day holiday.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon ordered Monday that an independent special master be appointed to review the records taken by the FBI during its raid of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.
The U.S. District Judge from the Southern District of Florida also ordered the Justice Department stop its own review of the material for investigative purposes saying in the ruling that the special master be appointed to “review the seized property, manage assertions of privilege, make recommendations, and evaluate claims for return of property.”
The ruling comes after Trump and his team have maintained that FBI agents seized boxes containing records covered by “attorney-client privilege” and potentially “executive privilege” during the Aug. 8 early morning and unprecedented raid of his private beach estate.
Executive privilege is a president’s ability to shield internal conversations with his aides.
In a major blow to the Department of Justice—Judge Cannon also ordered that Trump could assert attorney-client privilege claims as well as executive privilege in this matter.
Over the weekend, Trump talked about the on-going battle during a rally in battleground state, Pennsylvania, “The FBI and the Justice Department have become vicious monsters controlled by radical left scoundrels, lawyers, and the media who tell them what to do—you people right there—and when do you do it.” [Cheers]
The order directs the involved parties to confirm and return to the court by September 9 with a list of candidates able to serve as the special master along with a draft order defining the master’s exact responsibility.
