Justice Department says it already reviewed Mar-a-Lago files, complicating Trump's special master request

The Justice Department said Monday its special "filter team" has completed its review of the documents taken from Mar-a-Lago during an Aug. 8 raid, complicating former President Donald Trump's request that a "special master" review the documents before criminal investigators examine them. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said Saturday that her "preliminary intent" is to approve Trump's request, setting a Thursday hearing to discuss the matter.

Before Saturday's preliminary order, a court-approved "Privilege Review Team" had already "completed its review of those materials" and "identified a limited set of materials that potentially contain attorney-client privileged information," the Justice Department told Cannon. According to the search warrant affidavit, the special review team was sent to search Trump's office in Mar-a-Lago and reviewed the seized material for any "containing potentially attorney-client privileged information."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.