Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago lawsuit officially ends

Former US President Donald Trump was seen playing golf on September 13, 2022. In early August 2022, the federal prosecutor’s office submitted a photo of documents seized in Mar-a-Lago. (Photo by Trump by Win McNamee/Getty Images; Photo by Mar-a-Lago Documents on a federal court filing.)

Around the same time that Circuit 11 officially ended Donald Trump’s Lawsuit from Mar-a-Lago, the Justice Department has reportedly tried to disparage the former president in this investigation.

The two incidents, reported in quick succession late Thursday, mark a dramatic escalation by newly unleashed federal prosecutors in an investigation into the handling of hundreds of documents marked as classified. Trump’s legal team did not appeal the 11th Circuit Court’s decision, which defeated the ex-president’s lawsuit seeking the seizure of these and thousands of other records. Her Dec. 1 ruling ended the special main scrutiny and declined to establish “an unprecedented exception in our former presidents’ law.”

Faced with Thursday’s deadline to try to uphold the verdict, Trump’s legal team waited until it was too late. The 11th Federal Court issued a mandate formally ending this case.

“It is hereby ordered, decided and ordered that the opinion given on this appeal on this date be entered as a judgment of the court,” said the mandatee specified with finality.

This line officially terminates the service of two federal judges assigned to the Mar-a-Lago matter: US District Judges Aileen cannonwho issued orders barring the FBI from using files in its criminal investigations and a senior US District Judge Raymond Deariewhom Cannon has chosen as a special master to conduct a privileged review of these documents.

Realizing that Cannon had exceeded her powers, the 11th Circle recanted her orders and ordered her to close the case.

Now, several news agencies report that the Justice Department has sought to scorn Trump for failing to comply with a subpoena last May asking him to return all classified documents. The Washington Post first reported the development, attributing the request to sources familiar with the matter. CNN later concurred with the report. There is no public record of the Justice Department’s application because grand jury matters are traditionally classified and the record is sealed. They reportedly filed the motion with the US Chief District Judge Beryl Howellwho presides over federal court in Washington, DC

According to that post, the most likely penalty against Trump, if Judge Howell ruled against him, would be a fine, the amount of which would be at the judge’s discretion. Earlier this year, a Manhattan judge found Trump contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena on an unrelated matter: New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) Civil Investigation of Alleged Fraud. this judge, Arthur Engoronfined him until Trump’s lawyers left him convinced they had conducted a diligent search for any significant documents.

Neither the post nor the CNN report specifically state that the request was made by a special counsel JackSmithwho is now leading the investigation in Mar-a-Lago.

According to search warrant materials released earlier this year, federal authorities have investigated Trump for alleged violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice, and concealment and removal of government records.

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