Former President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice have each proposed two candidates to serve as special master over items seized in last month’s Mar-a-Lago raid.
The Department of Justice suggested retired Judge Barbara Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and retired Judge Thomas Griffith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Trump is proposing Raymond Dearie, former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and former Florida Deputy Attorney General Paul Huck.
DOJ SAYS IT WILL APPEAL TRUMP MAR-A-LAGO SPECIAL MASTER ORDER
“The Government and the Plaintiff will advise the Court about their respective positions on the other party’s proposed candidates on Monday, September 12, 2022,” the court filing reads.
The filing also revealed haggling over who will pay the appointed special master.
“Plaintiff proposes to split evenly the professional fees and expenses of the Special Master and any professionals, support staff, and expert consultants engaged at the Master’s request,” the filing says. “The Government’s position is that, as the party requesting the special master, Plaintiff should bear the additional expense of the Special Master’s work.”
Whoever is appointed will have a daunting task ahead of them. A former DOJ official told Business Insider that job would be “the worst thing in the world.”
“No one wants this assignment,” former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade told the outlet. “It’s time consuming. It’s thankless. You’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t.”
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Earlier this week, a judge approved Trump’s request for a special master, which the DOJ is appealing.
