A former judge and Democratic donor has been proposed to serve as special master in the Mar-a-Lago investigation led by President Biden’s DOJ. A special master will determine which documents are protected by attorney-client privilege and which can be used in the DOJ’s probe.
According to the Western Journal, in a Friday filing, the DOJ recommended that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida appoint Barbara Jones as special master.
Jones is a retired judge in the Southern District of New York nominated by former President Bill Clinton and has donated thousands to Democratic causes, records show.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, Jones has contributed over $5,000 to candidates and the Democratic National Committee since 2019. Her most recent donation was $2,900 to Liz Holtzman, a former candidate for the New York State Senate.
The DOJ’s second choice for special master was Thomas B. Griffith. Griffith, a former judge appointed by President George W. Bush.
It was suggested by President Trump that either former federal judge Raymond J. Dearie or former deputy Florida attorney general Paul Huck be appointed.
On Monday, as noted by Axios, President Trump requested that a judge reject the Justice Department’s request for a stay of her ruling allowing a special master to review evidence seized from Mar-a-Lago.
“In what at its core is a document storage dispute that has spiraled out of control, the Government wrongfully seeks to criminalize the possession by the 45th President of his own Presidential and personal records,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in the filing.
The lawyers added that there “is … a risk of irreparable injury to President Trump if the documents are not first reviewed by a neutral third party,” the filing said.
Meanwhile, on FOX News, Former federal prosecutor Bret Tolman explained why a special master is critical in this case.
