They are seeking the appointment of a special master unrelated to the case to inspect the recovered records and set aside those covered by executive privilege — an authority that allows presidents to withhold certain communications from public disclosure. The request was included in a court filing aimed more broadly at the FBI’s investigation into the discovery of classified records at Mar-a-Lago. The filing characterizes the Aug. 8 search, in which the FBI said it recovered 11 sets of classified documents, as a “shockingly aggressive move” and describes the former president and his representatives as collaborators for months. “Law enforcement is a shield that protects America. It cannot be used as a weapon for political purposes,” the lawyers wrote Monday. Explainer: Why the FBI raided Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property – and what they’re investigating “Therefore, we are seeking injunctive relief in the wake of an unprecedented and unnecessary raid on Mar-a-Lago.” “This issue has captured the attention of the American public. Merely ‘adequate’ safeguards are not acceptable when the issue involves not only President Trump’s constitutional rights, but also the presumption of executive privilege,” the lawyers wrote. Image: Aerial view of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home Separately on Monday, a federal judge acknowledged that wording in an FBI affidavit detailing the basis for the investigation could be so broad as to render the document “unconstitutional” if made public. But US Judge Bruce Rinehart said he continues to believe it should not remain sealed in its entirety because of the “intense” public interest in the investigation. Subscribe to the Daily Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Spreaker Justice Department officials want to keep the entire document sealed, saying that releasing any part of it risks compromising an ongoing criminal investigation, revealing information about witnesses and revealing investigative techniques.
