Federal judge appoints special master to review documents seized at Mar-a-Lago
NBCDec 24, 2022
The Facts
US federal judge Raymond Dearie, 78, has been chosen to review the files seized in the FBI's search of former Pres. Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
The US Dept. of Justice (DOJ) said it doesn't oppose Dearie's selection, who was one of two candidates for the position. US District Judge Aileen Cannon also rejected the DOJ's demand to continue their review of seized documents while the process is ongoing.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Dearie is a no-nonsense, fair, and wise jurist with a long pedigree. Democrats are incorrect to assume that just because he was Trump-appointed, he won't do his job correctly of sorting out attorney-client privilege. Dearie will call balls and strikes, and finally, give this hyped case the due process it deserves.
Democratic narrative
Judge Cannon fumbled here. Her Labor Day ruling to appoint a "special master" was ridiculed by legal experts from across the political spectrum, and there's little guidance on how Dearie would referee any claims of executive privilege by Trump. This process will only drag on as the DOJ plans to appeal Cannon's ruling to the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals, where even more Republican judges await to muddy the waters.
