Trump sues to block DOJ from reviewing materials FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago until watchdog appointed

Former President Donald Trump in a new lawsuit Monday asking that a federal judge appoint a special watchdog to review documents seized from his Florida home as part of a criminal investigation of 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 Department of Justice be blocked from “further review of seized materials” from his Mar-a-Lago residence until the so-called special master is appointed to review the documents.

Special masters are appointed in criminal cases when there is a concern that some material seized by authorities should not be viewed by investigators because it is protected by attorney-client privilege or other factors that weigh against it being used in a prosecution.

Special masters were appointed to review materials seized in federal criminal probes of two of Trump’s former personal attorneys, Michael Cohen and Rudy Giuliani.