Leading the story: Trump’s lawyers in a letter to Judge Raymond Dearie outlined a draft plan they said “requires the Plaintiff to disclose specific information about the declassification to the Court and the government.”
The “time and place” for such statements “would be in connection with a Rule 41 motion that specifically alleges disqualification as an element of its argument for restitution,” the lawyers wrote, referring to a motion filed by those seeking the return of property seized in an illegal search. “Otherwise, the Special Master proceeding would have required Plaintiff to disclose fully and specifically a defense to the merits of any subsequent indictment without such a requirement being apparent in the District Court’s order,” the attorneys said.
Why it matters: The statement mentioning a possible indictment is notable because it shows Trump acknowledging the investigation could potentially lead to criminal charges against him or his aides, the Washington Post notes. The big picture: Judge Aileen Cannon last week ordered the special master review and denied a Justice Department request to exclude classified documents from Dearie’s examination, which is due to conclude in late November. What they say: The Justice Department in a separate filing Monday suggested that a third-party vendor could upload about 500 documents each business day for review by both parties in the case, according to CNN.
Dearie could then conduct “weekly reviews” with the parties to “resolve questions and ensure the smooth running of the review process,” the DOJ said.
What’s next: Dearie, a former chief federal judge in New York, is scheduled to hold a preliminary conference in federal court in Brooklyn with the parties on Tuesday. Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
