The Justice Department signaled on Monday that it would accept one of ex-President Donald Trump’s picks for a special master who would review materials the FBI seized in its Mar-a-Lago raid last month.
In a four-page filing submitted to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, federal prosecutors proposed three candidates, one of which included Raymond J. Dearie, a former chief federal judge in New York who was appointed by Ronald Reagan.
The other two candidates were the retired federal judges the DOJ had previously proposed: Barbara Jones and Thomas Griffith. The Trump legal team had urged Cannon to reject both of them.
Dearie, Jones and Griffith have “substantial judicial experience, during which they have presided over federal criminal and civil cases, including federal cases involving national security and privilege concerns,” the DOJ wrote in its latest filing.
However, the government noted that Dearie isn’t retired, but rather at “senior status.”
“If this Court were to select Judge Dearie as the special master, the government would defer to the Court and Judge Dearie to determine whether the special master role would constitute outside employment and what rules and/or restrictions, if any, would apply to his serving in this capacity,” the prosecutors wrote.
Cannon — whose decision to approve Trump’s request for a special master and disrupt the DOJ’s investigation into the documents that were stashed at Mar-a-Lago, sending shockwaves through the legal community — will ultimately decide who will be appointed.
Read the filing below:
This whole exercise is like trying to have a conversation with someone’s three-year-old. The DOJ knows this is the wrong venue, that different kinds of privilege are being confused, that they have already done the sifting a special master would do, and that Biden’s waiving of executive privilege moots most of Trump’s claims – and yet here they are, forced to speak slowly and deliberately, because they are dealing with toddlers.
The DOJ is giving a mile when an inch would do. But, it makes the screams of tdfg “I’m Innocent! How Dare They” even more delightful when he’s indicted
Indictments can’t come soon enough. Unfortunately, I don’t think Garland will go for it prior to the midterms.
Justice delayed is starting to look like justice partially denied. I do believe that indictments ARE coming, but for god’s sake, let’s get this party started.
I am convinced that Garland is on the right track. People castigate and scorn him…call him names.
But we must remember that he has at least the same motivation that we do…maybe more.
(1) If he fails, we all will be much more in danger from authoritarian Republicans…MAGA and otherwise
(2) Whether or not Garland "behaves to Trump’s liking, that vengeful man will exact the same revenge.
I wonder if this is the DOJs subtle way of saying ‘he’d be acceptable, but only if he’s retired’. Could be a way to get another Judicial appointment for Biden on the court.