The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday partially appealed a judge’s decision to stop reviewing documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate, and called for the investigation of these classified materials to continue.
Federal investigators have been prevented from reviewing thousands of documents the FBI extracted from Trump’s oceanfront mansion since last week, after a judge sided with the former president and decided to appoint an independent arbiter to search the files .
The Justice Department argued in its filing Friday night that Judge Aileen Cannon made “a fundamental error in appointing a special master and granting an injunction,” but would limit her appeal to the “approximately 100 records with classification marks” resulting from Trump’s estate were salvaged.
The delay in reviewing the classified documents, which are said to be state property, “hampers the government’s efforts to protect the security of the nation,” the Justice Department said.
“It also irreparably harms the government by ordering critical steps in an ongoing criminal investigation and unnecessarily forcing the disclosure of highly sensitive records, including to the plaintiff’s attorney,” the filing added, referring to Trump’s attorneys.
Trump is facing increasing legal pressure as the Justice Department said top secret documents were “likely hidden” to hamper an FBI investigation into his possible misuse of classified materials.
He has denied any wrongdoing and said the raid on his mansion was “one of the most egregious attacks on democracy in our country’s history” while making it a major talking point at his political rallies.
The appeal will first be heard by a three-judge panel in the 11th Circuit, but could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court.
On Thursday, Judge Cannon appointed Raymond Dearie as the special master to review the files.
The 78-year-old senior federal judge in New York was one of two people proposed by Trump’s legal team.
Dearie on Friday ordered Trump’s attorneys and the Justice Department attorney to meet with him in New York early next week.
Agenda items for Tuesday’s meeting must be submitted by both sides by close of business Monday, Dearie ordered.
In addition to examining the documents, Trump faces investigations into his business practices in New York, as well as a legal scrutiny into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and for his supporters’ January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
