Judge issues order to protect Trump documents.
Former President Trump’s Secure Review of Classified Evidence
Former President Donald Trump and his lawyers are gearing up for a criminal trial over his alleged mishandling of documents after leaving the White House in 2020. However, there’s a catch – they can only review the classified evidence in a secure location, as ruled by a judge on Wednesday.
The charges against the former president, who is also the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, include illegally storing classified documents at his personal residence and lying to federal investigators. The FBI conducted a raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate before a special counsel was appointed to investigate.
President Trump’s lawyers argued against strict security protocols for reviewing the classified evidence, suggesting that they should be able to do so in his office at Mar-a-Lago. However, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon disagreed, stating that it would be inappropriate for him to review such documents at the location where they were allegedly stored illegally.
“The Court finds that this case will involve information that has been classified in the interest of national security. The storage, handling, and control of this information will require special security precautions mandated by statute, executive order, and regulation,”
Judge Cannon emphasized that President Trump may have a contractual obligation not to disclose classified information to unauthorized individuals. Federal prosecutors are entitled to enforce this agreement to maintain the confidentiality of classified information.
Protective Order Upheld
Furthermore, Judge Cannon’s ruling upholds a protective order sought by federal prosecutors. This order aims to prevent the disclosure of classified national security information and materials that will be reviewed by the Department of Justice’s counsel and President Trump’s lawyers.
The judge also made it clear that court personnel assisting with the case must have the necessary security clearance to access classified information.
Co-Defendant’s Access to Classified Discovery
The filing also addressed President Trump’s co-defendant, Walt Nauta, who is seeking full access to classified discovery. However, since Nauta is not charged with unlawfully retaining documents related to national defense, the government argued that he has no need to review the information.
Prosecutors emphasized that discussions and reviews of classified materials should only take place in federal sensitive compartmented information facilities (SCIFs). This motion coincided with the release of a superseding indictment that added three additional counts, including alleged obstruction of justice, against President Trump.
President Trump’s lawyers have acknowledged the complexity of the case and its exceptional nature, highlighting the significance of the classified documents involved.
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