Trump lashes out over Mar-a-Lago raid as DoJ says special master ruling is slowing their probe

Donald Trump has lashed out again over the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, as the Justice Department tries to expedite its appeal against the special master appointed to review data seized during the search.

In a post on his Truth Social network on Friday, Trump called the investigation into his handling of government data a “hoax” and a “scam” motivated by a desire to “hurt a political opponent.”

Trump said the Biden administration fears he is “leading in all polls” and called Vice President Kamala Harris a “sympathizer of North Korea” in reference to her blunder on Thursday that she called the rogue regime a “close ally” in comments that were intended to refer to South Korea.

While in office, Trump himself twice met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and his self-described “love letters” to and from the dictator were among the thousands of documents seized during the FBI’s March raid. a-Lago on August 8.

The so-called love letters were considered a prime target in the search after the National Archives reportedly demanded unsuccessfully that Trump’s team hand them over.

Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris a “sympathizer of North Korea” in reference to her gaffe calling the rogue regime a “close ally” in comments intended to refer to South Korea

In a post on his Truth Social network on Friday, Trump called the investigation into his handling of government data a “hoax” and a “scam”

The FBI seized about 100 classified documents during the search and is investigating possible violations of laws regarding the handling of presidential documents and classified material.

In a court filed late Friday, the Justice Department called for a faster resolution of the special captain’s appeal, which assesses about 11,000 unclassified documents for potential attorney-client privilege or executive privilege.

The DOJ said the inability to access the unclassified documents while the review is underway still hinders important aspects of its investigation.

The Justice Department is asking the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to file all motions in the case before Nov. 11 and to hold necessary hearings in the case once that briefing is complete.

Trump’s lawyers are opposing the request, the administration said.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in an email: “After weeks of preparing their arguments, the DOJ is now picking an unnecessary fight over a nine-day difference in filing timelines.”

Trump himself has met twice with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and his “love letters” to and from the dictator were among the documents seized in the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago

The Justice Department said that because it currently does not have access to the approximately 11,000 unclassified documents seized in the search, it cannot examine documents stored alongside the classified material.

The government said those unclassified documents could “shed light” on how the documents were transferred to or stored at the Mar-a-Lago estate, and who had access to them.

The data could also serve as evidence of violations of federal statutes regarding obstruction and concealment or deletion of government records, according to Friday’s filing.

The Justice Department said an accelerated timetable could enable the government, if it wins the appeal, “to resume its full investigation more quickly without restrictions on the review and use of evidence seized under a lawful search warrant.” .’

The state attorneys added that if the Atlanta-based court of appeals rules in favor of the Department of Justice, it would end the trial over materials seized during the search, as well as the outside review of that property. documents.

That review, being conducted by Special Master, Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, will currently end on Dec. 16.

Documents seized during the August 8 search of Trump’s estate are pictured on August 30. Trump’s lawyers have declined to say in legal files whether Trump ordered them to release them while he was in office and in authority

FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago on August 8, looking for government material

The appeals court this month sided with the Department of Justice by lifting parts of the ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that prevented the department from relying on classified material found in the search as part of the investigation, such as bringing forward the sensitive documents. content in witness hearings or presenting charges to a grand jury.

The 11th Circuit also blocked Dearie from accessing the classified data as part of its proceedings.

On Sept. 5, Cannon granted Trump’s request to have the seized documents reviewed by a third party, over the Justice Department’s objections.

That process has already been delayed, as Trump and the administration have not yet been able to contract a third-party vendor to host the documents as part of the review.

Cannon also rejected Dearie’s instruction Thursday that Trump verify the list of documents removed from the property, after the former president’s lawyers argued that the requirement was beyond the special master’s purview.

Trump has claimed without evidence that FBI agents planted evidence when they searched his resort on Aug. 8, but his lawyers have not repeated the same allegations in court.