Cannon was appointed to the post by Trump in 2020, just months before his term was to end.
An independent expert will review records seized in August from former President Donald Trump’s Florida residence, a West Palm Beach federal court ordered today.
Judge Eileen Cannon partially vindicated Trump by announcing that the court had ordered the expert’s appointment to review any personal items, documents and other material subject to legal privilege. Cannon was appointed to the post by Trump in 2020, just months before his term was to end.
The decision temporarily prohibits police officers and prosecutors from using this material in the context of their criminal investigation. But they can examine the documents “for purposes of their categorization and national security assessment.”
Cannon’s decision is seen as a victory for Trump and a major setback for the Justice Department, which had opposed appointing a third, independent party to the case because it could impede investigators’ access to the documents and “harm government interests, including those concerning national security”.
Cannon said the appointment of that independent monitor would be made “without delay” and asked both sides to submit lists of potential candidates, whom she will invite to a hearing likely on Friday.
On August 8, FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s residence in Florida, where they found boxes of confidential and classified documents, which the former president took with him when he left the White House. Trump maintains that it was an “illegal and unconstitutional” investigation and reiterates that it was targeted for political reasons. He even said the agents also took documents that are protected by legal privilege.
Authorities suspect Trump violated the Espionage Act in his possession of confidential and classified documents. He assures that the documents were declassified.
Among the seized files, 18 were classified as “top secret”, 53 as “confidential” and 31 as “confidential”. Dozens of empty folders marked “classified” were also found, which could mean sensitive documents were lost or destroyed.
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