September 1, 2022 2:59pm EDT
Trump FBI raid: Judge delays ruling on ‘special master’ after key hearing
Federal judge said she will issue written ruling on Trump request for executive privilege review 'in due course'
By Tyler Olson , Jake Gibson | Fox News
A Florida federal judge Thursday didn't immediately rule on a request from former President Donald Trump for a "special master" to review documents seized from Trump's home last month by the FBI for executive privilege.
After a 1 p.m. ET hearing, Judge Aileen M. Cannon said that she will issue a written ruling on Trump's request, which is opposed by the Department of Justice (DOJ), "in due course."
The hearing is the latest chapter in the battle over a closely-watched Justice Department investigation into whether Trump illegally possessed classified national security materials at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Trump lawyer Jim Trusty stated during the hearing that the FBI could have "taken an overdue library book" and it would have "suddenly turned into a criminal investigation." He went on to note broader concern for the institution of the presidency itself after the unprecedented raid.
DOJ attorney Jay Bratt, meanwhile, argued that Trump no longer has the same legal privileges to classified documents as when he was in office.
"He is no longer the president and because he is not…. he was unlawfully in possession of them," Bratt said of the documents the department took from Trump's home.
Justice Department lawyers also argued that a special master is simply not necessary and said it would delay the investigation into Trump.
more
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-fbi-raid-doj-former-presidents-lawyers-clash-key-hearing-special-master-appointment
