Mar-a-Lago raided

[George K]

Judge says she has ‘preliminary intent’ to appoint special master

A federal judge scheduled a hearing for Thursday to consider former President Donald Trump’s request for a “special master” to oversee the FBI’s review of evidence seized at Mar-a-Lago.

In doing so, the court put the parties on notice that she had a “preliminary intent” to appoint the special master, a third-party attorney who would filter out privileged material seized in the search.

Trump re-ups request for 'special master' but glosses over some questions from the judge

Ahead of the hearing, the government faces a Tuesday deadline to respond to Trump’s request in writing, according to the scheduling order from the court.

US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump in 2020, is asking the Department of Justice to file a public response, and additionally file under seal records going into greater detail about what was seized from the search as well as a notice laying out the status of the review of the seized materials, including the process of filtering out privileged information.

Trump’s reply to DOJ’s response is due Wednesday.

The hearing will be at 1 p.m. ET Thursday at the courthouse in West Palm Beach.

Cannon said at the end of the order that it should not be construed as her final decision on the matter.

[Jolly]

I figure that will happen.

[jon-nyc]

Funny the judge asked the Trump team to rewrite their submission. Commentators have said it didn’t really contain much legal content, and it read more like an op-ed. The general conclusion was this was just PR, especially since they waited 10 days to file it, long enough for investigators to have combed through everything already.

[Jolly]

Maybe it goes along with how long Garland sat on doing the raid.

[George K]

@jon-nyc said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

, long enough for investigators to have combed through everything already.

True. But if the special master says this is privileged information, it's not admissible to a court. Perhaps not to a grand jury, either.

(aside, does a grand jury get to see evidence, or just the state's case?)

[jon-nyc]

I’m not sure what they do if the evidence is top secret.

[Doctor Phibes]

@jon-nyc said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

I’m not sure what they do if the evidence is top secret.

Surely it’s all declassified?

[Renauda]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

@jon-nyc said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

I’m not sure what they do if the evidence is top secret.

Surely it’s all declassified?

Apparently so, either by having it in his possession or by, Lord knows, magic. Let’s let the courts decide and set a precedent. After all, that how Common Law works.

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

Surely it’s all declassified?

Either that or it was wedding plans and recipes.

[Doctor Phibes]

@George-K said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

Surely it’s all declassified?

Either that or it was wedding plans and recipes.

Or he could have plans to bury some more ex-wives there...

[Jolly]

I think the declassified argument can be made.

I also think an argument can be made for a nonspecific warrant and the inherent problens with evidence gathered under such warrant.

And I think the FBI is going to have to come up with something extraordinary or they're going to seriously regret their actions.

[George K]

‘Comically Inept and Inexperienced’ Legal Team

“Publicly, what they’re saying is this is rallying Republicans to Trump’s defense,” Karl said. “This makes it more likely that he will run for president, more likely that he will win the Republican nomination. Campaigning against this political action by the FBI and the DOJ.

“Privately, they are really concerned. And one of the big concerns here is that Trump has nobody defending him. If you look at his legal team, it is comically inept and inexperienced. All of the big names who defended him through the first two impeachments, through the Mueller investigation, they are gone. There is real concern that he needs to bring in a heavy hitting criminal defense attorney.”

Trouble is, according to Karl, that Trump just can’t find a top attorney willing to take him on as a client.

“I know of several that have been approached who have said no,” Karl said. “I even know of one prominent criminal defense attorney who was approached who didn’t even return the phone call.”

Karl went on to question how Trump plans to get enough Republicans to vote for him in a presidential primary when he can’t even get an attorney to defend him.

“The idea of Donald Trump running for president again and being the frontrunner for the Republican nomination — will Republicans be comfortable supporting a candidate who cannot even hire a criminal defense attorney?”

[Axtremus]

@George-K said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

‘Comically Inept and Inexperienced’ Legal Team

“… — will Republicans be comfortable supporting a candidate who cannot even hire a criminal defense attorney?”

You’d think the worry would be about having to support a candidate who desperately needs a criminal defense attorney in the first place.

[jon-nyc]

I think one of the lawyers that filed his brief used to be a host on OANN.

[Doctor Phibes]

Michael Cohen is probably free.

Then again, he probably wants to stay that way.

[jon-nyc]

Another one:

"Lindsey Halligan is a partner in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale East offices’ Property Group, which focuses on defending multiple carriers in first-party insurance claims. Lindsey’s practice focuses on the litigation of numerous water, fire, SIU fraud, vandalism and theft claims on both residential and commercial properties."

She uses a gmail address. Apparently she needed assistance in the simple mechanics of filing the motion. Legal Twitter has been unkind.

[Doctor Phibes]

@jon-nyc said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

Another one:

"Lindsey Halligan is a partner in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale East offices’ Property Group, which focuses on defending multiple carriers in first-party insurance claims. Lindsey’s practice focuses on the litigation of numerous water, fire, SIU fraud, vandalism and theft claims on both residential and commercial properties."

She uses a gmail address. Apparently she needed assistance in the simple mechanics of filing the motion. Legal Twitter has been unkind.

Here she is, apparently....

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I'm starting to notice a bit of a pattern with the folk that DJT hires....

[Aqua Letifer]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

@jon-nyc said in Mar-a-Lago raided:

Another one:

"Lindsey Halligan is a partner in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale East offices’ Property Group, which focuses on defending multiple carriers in first-party insurance claims. Lindsey’s practice focuses on the litigation of numerous water, fire, SIU fraud, vandalism and theft claims on both residential and commercial properties."

She uses a gmail address. Apparently she needed assistance in the simple mechanics of filing the motion. Legal Twitter has been unkind.

Here she is, apparently....

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I'm starting to notice a bit of a pattern with the folk that DJT hires....

Well, there was that exposed Access Hollywood video where he outlined his approach to human resources...

[Copper]

Any Trump lawyer has to be prepared to withstand an FBI investigation

With no lawyer client privilege

This is the world we live in

[Jolly]

And that's why he's having trouble hiring a lawyer. The Swamp, with an unlimited amount of resources, will take his lawyers under intense scrutiny and try its best to make a negative impact on their wallet and on their life.

What lawyer in their right mind wants that?