Former President Donald Trump is launching a lawsuit against the U.S. government, seeking $115 million in damages over the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate. He alleges that the Department of Justice engaged in unconstitutional “political persecution.
The search, which resulted in the discovery of hundreds of classified documents, led to Trump’s indictment on federal charges. Trump contends that the prosecution was an improper attempt to undermine his campaign to reclaim the presidency.
In a notice of claim filed with the government, Trump’s attorney, Daniel Epstein, criticized the Department of Justice and the FBI for their actions. Epstein described the prosecution as “malicious,” accusing them of acting with “willful, wanton, oppressive, and malicious intent.
Trump accuses Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray of bypassing standard procedures for retrieving the documents, claiming their actions were intended to humiliate the former Republican president.
Garland and Wray deviated from established protocol with the intent to harm President Trump,” Epstein stated.
The filing initiates a 180-day period during which Trump and the government can negotiate a settlement. If no agreement is reached, a federal judge in South Florida will preside over the case.
Trump acknowledges that he took the documents to his Florida residence after leaving office in January 2021, asserting that he had the legal authority to do so. He returned some of the documents after receiving a subpoena demanding their return.
Federal authorities, suspecting that Trump was withholding additional documents, requested and obtained a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago, which was executed on August 22, 2022.
After Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential race, Garland appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith to investigate the matter. Trump was charged with unlawfully retaining documents and obstructing justice. Additionally, two employees at Mar-a-Lago faced charges for allegedly moving boxes of sensitive documents to conceal them from investigators and Trump’s legal team.
Judge Aileen Cannon recently dismissed the case, ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. The prosecution is appealing this decision to a higher court, and the case is expected to reach the Supreme Court.
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