Judge Eileen Cannon issued a verdict Responding to Former President Donald Trump’s Bid special master Review Evidence Seized by the FBI at his Mar-a-Lago resort last month.
Here are some key quotes from the decision written by Canon:
Page 9: No Signs of Trump’s ‘Callous Disregard’ for Constitutional Rights
“Regarding the first factor, the Court agrees with the Government’s opinion that, at least on the record to date, there was no compelling evidence of a cold disregard for plaintiffs’ constitutional rights. It is against the exercise of reasonable jurisdiction.”
Page 9: Seized property contains tax documents
“The second factor is whether the petitioner has a personal interest in the seized property, and whether he or she needs the seized property, which serves to entertain the plaintiff’s demands. … The materials seized include medical documents, tax-related correspondence, and accounting information, according to the Privileged Review Team report.”
Page 10: Anti-Trump Stigma ‘League of Its Own’ Due to Search for Mar-a-Lago
“As a function of the plaintiff’s previous position as President of the United States, the stigma associated with the subject’s seizure is in a league of its own. It will cause reputational damage.”
Page 11: The search for Mar-a-Lago was ‘undeniably unprecedented’
“The court therefore takes into account the undeniably unprecedented nature of the search of the former president’s residence. Plaintiffs said they relied on customary cooperation between the previous and current administrations regarding ownership and exchange of documents: imbalance of power between the parties; and a concern to ensure the integrity of the orderly process amid swirling claims of bias and media leaks.”
Page 12: Special Master Needed to “Protect” Probes
“For now, the circumstances surrounding this foreclosure, and the need for appropriate procedural safeguards that come with it, are at least compelling enough to get plaintiffs through the court’s door.”
Page 15: Two Cases of DOJ Investigators Viewing Privileged Documents
“The investigation team has already been exposed to potential privileged content, as reflected in the Privilege Review Team report. Refers to at least two cases exposed to material delivered to the team and designated as potential privileged material after another review. [ECF No. 40 p. 6]These instances alone raise questions about the adequacy of the filter review process, even if it was completely careless. ”
Page 23: This investigation requires a ‘short pause’
“While the Court recognizes that limiting criminal prosecution is undesirable, in these unprecedented circumstances, a neutral third-party review is required to ensure a fair process with adequate protections. We decided that a short pause was necessary to allow.”
Read the judge’s ruling here.
Source: www.cnn.com
