top line
Mark Meadows, who previously served as former President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, told the National Archives that the boxes of documents the former president took to Mar-a-Lago were “news clippings” and were not classified or of a sensitive nature, the Washington Post I mentioned Friday.
key facts
During a September 2021 call between National Archives attorney Gary Stern and former White House deputy counsel Pat Philbin, Philbin said Meadows told him he was not aware of any other material taken besides 12 boxes of “news clippings,” according to people familiar with the conversations. Mail mentioned.
Philbin also reported that Meadows said no documents were destroyed, two sources familiar with the conversation and a third person with contemporary knowledge of the call said to Mail.
A spokesperson for Philbin declined to comment on MailA Meadows spokesperson did not respond and a lawyer declined to comment on Mail.
The report shows that Meadows has been more involved in communications between the Trump team and the National Archives than previously known.
main background
The FBI seized more than two dozen boxes of material from Mar-a-Lago last month, and the Department of Justice is investigating whether Trump violated federal laws, including the Espionage Act, by taking documents, some of which contain highly classified information. . . US District Judge Elaine M Cannon – one of Trump’s appointees – on Thursday ordered retired judge Raymond Deere to serve as special director to review documents independently, a position Trump asked the judge to appoint someone for two weeks after his home was raided. The Justice Department is expected to appeal the decision, as the appointment could slow its investigation, and said the special master’s review would be “unnecessary and significantly detrimental to the interests of the government”.
in-depth reading
Trump: ‘No ban on running’ if indicted in Mar-A-Lago investigation (Forbes)
Judge selects special master in Mar-A-Lago case – rejects Justice Department’s request to disqualify classified documents (Forbes)
Judge along with Trump gives a special master to review Mar-A-Lago documents (Forbes)
