The US Justice Department on Friday partially appealed a federal judge’s decision to authorize the appointment of an independent expert to review documents seized by the FBI during a search of Donald Trump’s home, calling for the investigation to continue in around documents categorized as classified.
Federal investigators have been prohibited since last week from reviewing thousands of documents seized on August 8 at the former president’s home, after a judge decided to appoint an independent arbitrator to do so, as Donald Trump’s lawyers want.
“fundamental mistake”
Thus, the Justice Department argued Friday night that Judge Aileen Cannon “made a fundamental error in appointing an independent expert” and in deciding this injunction, but limited her appeal to “the hundred documents marked as ‘classified'” retrieved from the property. of the former President of the United States.
Delaying investigations of classified documents, which are the property of the government according to the ministry, “hinders the government’s efforts to ensure the security of the nation,” the Justice Ministry said.
“It also causes irreparable harm to the government by blocking critical steps in an ongoing criminal investigation and unnecessarily forcing the release of highly confidential documents, including to plaintiffs’ attorneys,” the department added.
The appeal will be considered by a three-judge panel. Ultimately, the Supreme Court may have to decide.
suspicions of espionage
On August 8, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s residence in Florida, and seized boxes of confidential documents that the Republican had not returned after leaving the White House, despite multiple requests. Federal investigators suspect that the Republican thus violated a US law on espionage that very strictly regulates the possession of confidential documents. Donald Trump assured that these documents had been declassified.
Donald Trump, who openly plans to run for president in 2024, has since criticized a search he calls “illegal and unconstitutional” and repeats that he was targeted for political reasons.
Source: BFM TV
