Trump-appointed District Court Judge Aileen Cannon granted almost everything former President Donald Trump requested, but denied his legal team’s request to charge American taxpayers half the cost of the Special Master review of documents seized during the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago.
Cannon previously ruled that not only should a special master be appointed to review the seized documents, but she also barred the Justice Department from using the documents in its interim investigation of Trump for Espionage Act violations.
The DoJ and Team Trump submitted their own candidates for Special Master in a joint filing detailing areas of agreement and disagreement and argued over who would pay for the review, as well as whether the DoJ would be permitted to continue their review of the 100 classified documents seized.
Cannon ruled this week, and gave Team Trump everything it asked for — almost:
The special master will be Senior Judge Raymond Dearie, who was put forward as a possible candidate for the special master role by Trump, who had sued in court to obtain the review. The Justice Department also endorsed Dearie’s appointment.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon also rejected the Justice Department’s bid to resume its criminal investigation into classified documents seized at Mar-a-Lago last month. The denial sets the stage for the department’s dispute with Trump over the search to move quickly to an appeals court and potentially the US Supreme Court.
But there was one ray of sunshine for the Justice Department:
Plaintiff shall bear 100% of the professional fees and expenses of the Special Master and any professionals, support staff, and expert consultants engaged at the Special Master’s request.
The procedures for establishing and paying the Special Master’s compensation and expenses shall be determined in a later order.
Within ten (10) calendar days following the date of this Order, the Special Master, and counsel for the parties shall confer on this issue, and the Special Master shall submit a proposal for the Court’s approval as to the procedures for paying the Special Master’s compensation and expenses.
Cannon did not specifically rule out payment of the costs in horseflesh.