Donald Trump Asks Court For A “Special Master” To Review Mar-A-Lago Documents

deadline.com:

Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are asking a federal court to appoint a “special master” to “preserve the sanctity of executive communication and other privileged material” seized when the FBI conducted a search of his Mar-a-Lago property earlier this month.The filing *read it  here — appears to be a way for Trump to repeat grievances and argue that the August 8 search was unjustified, as he claims that he was cooperating with the National Archives and later the Justice Department as they sought records he took with him after his presidency ended.It’s unclear how the court will handle Trump’s request.Trump also wants the court to prohibit the government’s further review of material until a special master is appointed, and for the government to provide a more detailed account of what was taken from the property.

The filing also calls for the court to require that the government return any item seized that was not in the scope of the search warrant.Portions of the warrant were unsealed after the search, showing that federal agents removed 11 sets of classified documents from Mar-a-Lago, as well as other materials.

Trump’s filing does not explain why agents found items with top-secret classifications.The warrant, signed by Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, called for seizing “all physical documents and records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 793, 2071 , or 1519.” Those pertain to statutes prohibiting concealment, removal or mutilation; gathering, transmitting or losing defense information; and destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations.Trump claims that he declassified the material when it was sent