The lawyers of former President Donald Trump have revealed their plan to sue the U.S. Department of Justice, claiming that the raid conducted in 2022 at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, was an act of political persecution. During the raid, FBI agents discovered classified documents in unsecured locations within the complex.
The operation, which was part of an FBI investigation into the alleged improper retention of classified documents by Trump, resulted in 37 criminal charges against the former president, 31 of which were related to the voluntary retention of national defense information.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges, which were dismissed last month following the decision of Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that special prosecutor Jack Smith had been appointed and funded illegally.
Daniel Epstein, Trump's lawyer, stated in an interview with Fox Business that his client is defending not only his case but also "the rights of all Americans who believe in the rule of law and government accountability." Epstein argued that there is clear evidence that the FBI did not follow the proper protocol and acted with an improper purpose.
In the filed complaint, Epstein claimed that the decisions made by Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray were not based on "social, economic, or political policies," but rather on a "clear intent to carry out political persecution, instead of promoting good law enforcement practices."
The government has a deadline of 180 days to respond to the notification before the case can be moved to a federal court in the southern district of Florida. Trump's lawyers are seeking $100 million in damages.
The legal conflict of former President Donald Trump began intensely with the search of his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, on August 8, 2022, where the FBI seized 11 sets of classified documents during an investigation into the mishandling of White House documents. This operation was accompanied by allegations that Trump had obstructed the return of official documentation. Subsequently, the Department of Justice released documents clarifying the justification for the operation, revealing that some records included contained sensitive national defense information.
The legal siege intensified when, on June 9, 2023, Trump was formally notified that he would face criminal charges in a federal court for his handling of classified documents. With the trial scheduled for August 14, 2023, the indictment includes 37 counts, of which he is accused of the intentional retention of documents related to U.S. national defense. Following speculation about the impact of these proceedings on his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump's legal situation has become a topic of debate, with allegations that it is a political witch hunt.
In July 2024, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the charges against him in Florida, noting irregularities in the appointment of the prosecutor for the case. This ruling came less than a month before the former president's upcoming trial, projecting a change in his legal situation, although he still faces other lawsuits, including issues related to his organization and the management of funds. Despite the setbacks, Trump continues to be a key figure in American politics, leading in the polls as the Republican candidate for the upcoming presidential elections.
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