Trump attorney says redacted Mar-a-Lago affidavit ‘misleading’

On Tuesday, former President Trump’s attorneys will present to a federal judge an unredacted version of the affidavit used to justify the Mar-a-Lago August property raid. asked to order.

Trump’s lawyers have to check affidavits for accuracy and for “misleading omissions,” in legal documents filed just before Trump’s lawyers fight in another court. said.

“Perhaps the ‘detailed’ inventory provided little real information or detail. I did,” Trump’s lawyer wrote.

A US magistrate released a partially redacted version of the affidavit in August.

Mr Trump’s attorney also claimed there were “significant” differences between the affidavit the Justice Department provided to the former president and the affidavit it gave the special counsel. Special agents have examined documents seized in FBI raids to determine whether there are any documents protected by attorney-client privilege or administrative privilege, thus precluding access by federal agents. should be banned.

According to the 13-page legal document, the government acquired “a vast amount of personal and family photographs, newspapers, campaign materials for letters of appreciation, books and golf shirts.”

“This raises serious questions about how the defendants have characterized their probable causes and justification claims for seizing thousands of personal items,” Trump’s legal team said.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In previous court filings, the Justice Department said there was nothing unusual about personal property being seized during the execution of a criminal search warrant. An unrelated item in a box containing related documents may be useful in an investigation, he said.

Trump’s legal team filed a complaint with U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon, who is overseeing the case. Judge Cannon was appointed by Trump.

It’s unclear when Judge Cannon will rule.

The filing was made by other members of Trump’s legal team before Judge Raymond Deary before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to review materials seized in an August raid on Trump’s office. It was done just before insisting that he must remain in his position. He lives in his private Mar-a-Arago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Lawyers for the Justice Department have asked the court to terminate Judge Deary’s term, arguing that no review was necessary and that an investigation into whether Trump was illegally handling government documents was delayed because of his work. asked to finish.

It also came days after Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to oversee the dossier and Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump has denied wrongdoing in both cases.