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Trump has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the DOJ from reviewing materials seized at his Mar-a-Lago resort last week.
In the complaint, Trump states that he wants a special master, a third-party attorney, to review the documents and for federal investigators to pause their work until the special master’s review is finished.
In the suit, Trump’s lawyers argue that the DOJ has not provided enough information about the seized materials and what they might contain. They also argue that the department has not followed proper procedures in terms of allowing Trump’s lawyers to review the materials.
Trump’s lawyers are asking for a “special master” to be appointed to oversee the DOJ’s review of the materials. They also want the DOJ to provide more information about what was seized and why.
Trump’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, said: “Law enforcement is a shield that protects Americans. But it can also be used as a sword to destroy innocent people and their families. This is what happened to Mr. Trump when agents of the FBI and DOJ raided his private club, Mar-a-Lago, without notice or justification.”
The lawsuit asks the court to “compel the government to follow the proper procedures for handling seized materials” and to have a special master appointed “to protect Mr. Trump’s rights and interests.”
Last week, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago and seized documents and electronic devices belonging to Trump’s longtime friend and adviser, Cindy Yang.
Yang is under investigation for allegedly selling access to Trump and his inner circle. She has denied any wrongdoing.
The raid was a surprise move by federal investigators, who have been looking into Yang’s activities for months.
Trump has slammed the raid as a “witch hunt and an “attack on our country.”
In his lawsuit, Trump argues that the seizure of Yang’s materials was “unlawful and unconstitutional.” He said the government “failed to give any notice or explanation for the seizure” and that the materials seized “are highly sensitive and confidential.”
Trump is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent the DOJ from reviewing the seized materials until a special master has been appointed. He also wants the court to return any copies of the materials that have already been made.
Trump’s response: “It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes. Therefore, we seek judicial assistance in the aftermath of an unprecedented and unnecessary raid on President Trump’s home at Mar-a-Lago.”
CNN also reported on the matter, saying: “Though the legal maneuver could slow down the Justice Department’s ongoing criminal investigation, Trump’s request to the federal court in South Florida could face an uphill legal battle after his team missed multiple opportunities to challenge the search.
“The ex-President’s lawyers declined to take a position in court in the immediate aftermath of the search warrant execution.”
The DOJ has not yet commented on Trump’s lawsuit. The suit, however, is a significant escalation in the Biden administration’s raid of former President Donald Trump — one of the most significant political catastrophes in modern history.
