FIRST ON FOX: A federal judge on Saturday announced her “preliminary intention to appoint a special master” to review records the FBI seized during an unprecedented raid on his Mar-a-Lago home earlier this year month, at the request of former President Trump and his legal team, citing “extraordinary circumstances.” Trump and his legal team filed a motion Monday night asking for an independent review records seized by the FBI during his Mar-a-Lago raid earlier this month, saying the decision to search his private residence months before the 2022 midterm elections “involved political calculations aimed at diminishing the leadership voice in the Republican Party , President Trump.” U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen M. Cannon said Saturday afternoon that the decision was made after considering Trump’s cases and “the extraordinary circumstances that presented themselves.” “Pursuant to Rule 53(b)(1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Court’s inherent authority, and subject to the objections of the parties, the Court gives notice of its preliminary intent to appoint a special master in this case,” he wrote. Cannon in a deposition Saturday. FBI SAID IT HAD ‘PROBABLE CAUSE’ TO BELIEVE ADDITIONAL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS REMAINED AT MAR-A-LAGO, JURY SAYS A hearing is set for September 1 at 1:00 p.m. in West Palm Beach, Florida. Cannon also ordered the Justice Department to file a response by Aug. 30 and provide, “under seal,” a “further proof of ownership identifying all assets seized pursuant to the search warrant executed on Aug. 8, 2022.” “ The current proof of ownership indicates that FBI agents took approximately 20 boxes of items from the facility, including a set of documents marked “Miscellaneous Classified/TS/SCI Documents,” which refer to top secret/sensitive apartment information. Records covered by this level of government classification could potentially include human intelligence and information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize relations between the US and other nations, as well as the lives of intelligence agents abroad. However, the classification also includes national security information related to the day-to-day activities of the president of the United States. The proof of ownership also indicated that FBI agents collected four sets of top secret documents, three sets of classified documents and three sets of confidential documents, but the document does not reveal details about any of those files. DOJ ‘TAINT TEAM’ REVIEWS TRUMP MAR-A-LAGO DOCUMENTS The government began the investigation in response to what it believed was a violation of federal law: 18 USC 793 — collection, transmission, or loss of defense information. 18 USC 2071 — concealment, removal or mutilation. and 18 USC 1519 — destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations. The allegation of “collection, transmission or loss of defense information” falls under the Espionage Act. Trump and his team dispute the denial and say they believe the information and records have been declassified. Cannon also ordered the Justice Department to file under seal a “specific notice showing the status” of the review of the seized property, “including any filter review conducted by the privilege review team and any dissemination of material beyond the privilege review team.” . Cannon also said the Justice Department should include in its filings “its respective and specific positions regarding the duties and responsibilities of a future special master, along with any other considerations relevant to the appointment of a special master in this case “. Trump’s motion for a special master filed Monday night would have asked the Justice Department to halt its ongoing review of materials seized by the FBI during the raid — some called classified and others covered by the attorney-client privilege — until to conduct an independent review. At this point, a Ministry of Justice The “spot” or “filter” team examines documents seized by the FBI during its raid. A senior law enforcement official familiar with the process told Fox News that the review began immediately after the search warrant was executed on August 8. The official told Fox News that it is standard procedure for the Justice Department to use a “spot” or “filter” team to review documents obtained during an investigation — in part, to identify records that may be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Fox News first reported earlier this month that FBI agents seized boxes containing files covered by attorney-client privilege and possibly executive privilege during the raid. TRUMP FAILS MOTION SEEKING INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS SEIZED IN FBI MAR-A-LAGO RAID Sources familiar with the investigation told Fox News on Saturday that the former president’s team was told that boxes labeled A-14, A-26, A-43, A-13, A-33 and a set of documents — all seen in final page of the FBI’s proof of ownership — contained information covered by the attorney-client privilege. Attorney-client privilege refers to a legal privilege that keeps communications between a lawyer and his client confidential. It is unclear at this point whether the records include communications between the former president and his private lawyers, White House counsel during the Trump administration, or a combination. Saturday’s decision comes after another federal judge, U.S. Magistrate Bruce Rinehart, released a redacted version of the affidavit used to justify the FBI raid. The FBI, in the heavily redacted affidavit, said it had “probable cause to believe” that additional files containing classified information, including National Defense information, would be found at the Mar-a-Lago facility beyond what it had previously disclosed. at the Directorate of National Archives and Records. Rinehart signed the FBI warrant for the Mar-a-Lago raid on Aug. 5, giving the FBI authority to conduct its investigation — a document Rinehart unsealed, along with proof of ownership from the raid earlier this month . Brooke Singman is a political reporter for Fox News Digital. She can be reached at [email protected] or @BrookeSingman on Twitter.
