Special Master: Trump's Lawyers Must Say Whether FBI Planted Evidence
(Newsmax/"Rob Schmitt Tonight")
By Solange Reyner | Thursday, 22 September 2022 04:02 PM EDT
The special master appointed to review thousands of documents seized at Donald Trump's home in Florida on Thursday told Trump's legal team to declare once and for all whether they really think the FBI planted evidence during its search, as the former president has alleged.
Raymond Dearie also granted Trump's legal team four weeks to complete a privilege review of the files, according to a court filing in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Florida.
"No later than September 30, 2022, Plaintiff shall submit a declaration or affidavit that includes each of the following factual matters: a. A list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022," Dearie wrote in the filing.
"B. A list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022, but as to which Plaintiff asserts that the Detailed Property Inventory's description of contents or location within the Premises where the item was found is incorrect. c. A detailed list and description of any item that Plaintiff asserts was seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022, but is not listed in the Detailed Property Inventory.”
Trump earned a legal win in court last week when Judge Aileen Cannon selected one of Trump's special master nominees to review the documents. The former president, though, is on the hook for costs associated with Dearie's work.
Dearie, a semi-retired federal judge, on Thursday also said he wouldn't seek extra pay for work but asked that a magistrate judge assigned to help him get $500 an hour.
He also mapped out a schedule for his review, including a Friday deadline for Trump and the government to agree to a vendor who will handle the documents electronically and a Monday deadline for the government to make the documents available electronically. Dearie said he hopes to complete his review by Nov. 30.