The Justice Department requested a federal appeals court to let it resume reviewing classified materials seized in the FBI search of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
In the filing U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit filing, the DOJ said the circuit court should pause part of the lower court decision that prevents prosecutors from relying on the classified documents in their criminal investigation into the retention of government records at Trump's Florida residence in after his presidency ended.
the @TheJusticeDept has asked an appeals court to allow it to continue using classified docs it seized from Mar-a-Lago while a #specialMaster reviews them. @foxnews https://t.co/CniFZT2VKg
— Max Thornberry (@Max_Thornberry) September 17, 2022
"The court erred in granting extraordinary relief based on unsubstantiated possibilities."
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) September 17, 2022
DOJ tonight urged the 11th Circuit to immediately step in and undo a judge's order that halted the use of docs with classified markings in the criminal probe: https://t.co/YwLCQZhlA5
DOJ argument to 11th Circuit, in a nutshell:
— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) September 17, 2022
— Govt docs belong to the govt, not Trump
— Classified docs are govt docs, by definition
— Govt must get full control of its docs back, ASAP, so it can continue national security and criminal investigation work
Additionally, the department asked that a third party appointed that all the records taken in the FBI raid at Trump's home, Senior U.S. Judge Raymond Dearie, not be permitted to review the classified materials.
The DOJ claimed that the materials taken from Trump’s residence are highly sensitive documents, saying that denying prosecutors access to those records would delay their investigation into a potential national security.