Justice Department Regains Access to Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago Documents After Appeals Court Lifts Hold

The Justice Department can now resume its review of Mar-a-Lago documents that the Federal Bureau of Investigation seized from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Florida residence.

Associated Press News reported that the federal appeals court has lifted the hold on the said documents as ruled by a three-judge panel. The decision has cleared the way for Justice Department and investigators to continue the preview of the documents as they deliberate whether there is a criminal charge they can bring against the former president.

The U.S. Court of Appeals also noted that Trump had presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records, which he has repeatedly maintained.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, had temporarily banned investigators from continuing the use of Mar-a-Lago documents in its probe. She earlier said that the hold would remain instilled while a separate review by an independent arbiter is pending.

Two of the three judges who lifted the hold were nominated to the 11th Circuit by Trump namely, Britt Grant and Andrew Basher.

Meanwhile, the third judge was Robin Rosenbaum, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama.

Donald Trump Declassification of Documents

The three-judge panel wrote in their ruling that the declassification argument "is a red herring because declassifying an official document would not change its content or render it personal."

CBS News reported that the judges went on to say that if they assumed the former president did declassify some or all of the documents, "that would not explain why he has a personal interest in them."

Justice Department lawyers argued that Cannon's temporary ban was keeping investigators from using the materials for investigative purposes "impedes the government's efforts to protect the nation's security."

Trump's lawyers wrote in their filings that the government has not proven their claims that the documents are classified, according to The New York Times report. They added that the former president has "broad authority governing classification of, and access to, classified documents."

Mar-a-Lago Documents

Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that he can declassify top secret government documents just "by thinking about it," as reported by an Independent report. He also defended his handling of the Mar-a-Lago documents, saying that he declassified the documents "when they left the White House." He also said in the interview that he was not involved in the packing up of presidential records as he left the White House.

The National Archives said in January 2022 that it had identified highly sensitive materials being kept at Mar-a-Lago and asked permission to notify the FBI.

The agency also rejected Trump's arguments in May that his executive and attorney-client privilege protect handing over the documents.

Meanwhile, Trump is facing another legal challenge with New York Attorney General Letitia James and the Trump Organization for "numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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