Ex-US President Trump used the search of his home in Florida to sharply criticize the FBI. Now he is also getting his lawyers involved. They should reach a neutral investigation of the confiscated documents in court. They claim presidential rights as justification.
After the US Federal Police FBI searched his property, former US President Donald Trump wants to use a lawsuit to have a neutral auditor appointed. He should see the documents secured during the mission two weeks ago in Mar-a-Lago in Florida – at the same time the examination by state investigators should be stopped by then, according to a complaint filed by Trump’s lawyers in Florida.
Trump’s defense attorneys argue that the seized documents could be protected by the US President’s executive privilege: “This matter has drawn the attention of the American public. Merely ‘appropriate’ protective measures are unacceptable if, in the matter at hand, it is not only not about President Trump’s constitutional rights, but also about maintaining the enforcement of privileges,” the document said. Executive privilege is the President’s prerogative to keep certain information secret.
During a search of Trump’s property, the FBI found and confiscated, among other things, sets of documents classified as top secret. Trump had argued that he released the documents at the time. Incumbent presidents do have far-reaching powers to lift secrecy. But for the release of documents there is a formal procedure with several highly official steps. The search caused a stir in the United States and accusations from Trump supporters that the Justice Department was attacking Trump for political reasons.