Marco Bello | Reuters Former President Donald Trump filed a new lawsuit Monday asking a federal judge to appoint a special conservator to review documents seized from his Florida home as part of a criminal investigation into the removal of White House records when he left office in January 2021. Trump’s lawsuit, which suggests the Aug. 8 FBI raid was politically motivated, also asks that the Justice Department be barred from “further review of the materials seized” from his Mar-a-Lago residence until the appointment of so-called expert examine the documents. Special masters are appointed in criminal cases when there is concern that some material seized by authorities should not be viewed by investigators because it is protected by the attorney-client privilege or other factors that weigh on its use in a prosecution. Special masters have been appointed to review materials seized in federal criminal investigations of two of Trump’s former personal lawyers, Michael Cohen and Rudy Giuliani. Trump’s lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida accuses the federal government of violating his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures with the raid, which is believed to be the first time a home has been searched of a former president in connection with a criminal case. In addition to seeking a special master, the lawsuit asks the DOJ to provide it with a more detailed inventory of the property seized at the Palm Beach resort. And it’s asking the government to return any seized items that don’t fall within the scope of the search warrant authorizing the raid. “This burglary, search and seizure of Mar-a-Lago was illegal and unconstitutional,” Trump said in a written statement released after the complaint was filed. “And we are taking all necessary steps to get the documents back, which we would have given them without the despicable raid on my home, to give them to the National Archives until they are required for the future Donald J.J. Presidential Library and Museum. Trump,” he added. Former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. (Charles Trainor Jr./Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Charles Trainor Jr | Miami Herald | Getty Images The lawsuit comes as a federal judge in the same court is considering media organizations’ arguments to unseal the FBI’s affidavit documenting the need for a search warrant. That warrant said authorities are investigating possible violations of laws related to espionage and obstruction of justice. According to court documents, several sets of highly classified documents were seized in the raid. The DOJ has until Thursday to submit proposals to draft parts of the warrant. Trump’s lawsuit called the raid a “shockingly aggressive move” by about two dozen FBI agents, which was carried out “without understanding the distress it would cause most Americans.” “Law enforcement is a shield that protects Americans. It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes,” the complaint states. “Therefore, we are seeking judicial relief following an unprecedented and unnecessary raid on President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home.” The lawsuit says Trump “is the clear front-runner” in both the Republican presidential primary and the 2024 general election, “should he decide to run.” “Politics cannot be allowed to influence the administration of justice,” the lawsuit states. It also says the administration told Trump’s counsel that “privileged and/or potentially privileged documents” were among the items seized. However, the government has so far “refused to provide any information regarding the nature of these documents,” the complaint states. The lawsuit argues that there was no reason for the FBI to raid Trump’s home because he was cooperating with authorities trying to recover records from the residence. After 15 boxes of files were recovered from Mar-a-Lago earlier this year, Trump’s lawyers contacted authorities from the White House, the National Archives and the Department of Justice about documents allegedly “protected by executive privilege.” the lawsuit states. In May, according to the complaint, Trump “voluntarily” accepted a grand jury subpoena for his office’s records keeper, seeking classified documents. Trump decided to conduct a search for responsive records and then “called the FBI to come to Mar-a-Lago” to retrieve them, the complaint said. On June 3, top Justice Department counterintelligence official Jay Bratt came to Mar-a-Lago with three other agents, and Trump “greeted them in the dining room,” the suit said. Trump then left the agents with Trump’s archivist and counsel, adding, “Whatever you need, just let us know,” according to the complaint. “Once back in the dining room, one of the FBI agents said, ‘Thank you. You didn’t have to show us the warehouse, but we appreciate it. Now it all makes sense,” according to the suit. “President Trump’s counsel subsequently closed the interaction and advised administration officials that they should contact him with any further needs regarding the matter.” In that warehouse were “boxes, many containing the clothing and personal effects of President Trump and the First Lady,” the lawsuit said. On June 8, Bratt asked a Trump adviser to secure the warehouse, and Trump “directed his staff to place a second lock on the door,” according to the complaint. In a phone call three days after the raid, the suit says, Trump’s lawyer gave a message to Bratt: “President Trump wants the Attorney General to know that he was hearing from people around the country about the raid, if there was a word. to describe their mood, he is “angry”. Heat builds up. The pressure is building. Anything I can do to reduce the heat, reduce the pressure, just let me know.”