The Justice Department told a federal judge on Monday that former President Trump's demand for a special official to review all of the documents seized from his Mar-a-Lago residence might be too late.
In a Monday court filing, the department claimed they already reviewed the sensitive documents seized at Trump's South Florida property earlier this month, identifying only a small number that could be attorney-client protected.
The Justice Department's Privilege Review Team "identified a limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information, completed its review of those materials, and is in the process of following the procedures set forth in paragraph 84 of the search warrant affidavit to address potential privilege disputes, if any," the filing read.
The procedures described relate to the DOJ's compliance with asking Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart to determine potentially privileged material, asking Trump's team about asserting privilege, or withholding material from investigators, Politico noted.
Additionally, the Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence "are currently facilitating a classification review of materials recovered pursuant to the search."
The "ODNI is also leading an intelligence community assessment of the potential risk to national security that would result from the disclosure of these materials," according to the filing.
News of the Justice Department's review comes just days after a federal judge in Florida announced her intention to grant a Trump legal team request that a special master review the files seized earlier this month.
"Pursuant to Rule 53(b) (1) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Court's inherent authority ... the Court hereby provides notice of its preliminary intent to appoint a special master in this case," U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon wrote on Saturday.
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