Former President Donald Trump is preparing to sue the federal government for $100 million over the FBI's raid of his Mar-a-Lago estate in August 2022.
According to a report by The Daily Wire, Trump's legal team alleges that the raid was conducted to interfere with his 2024 presidential campaign.
The lawsuit claims the government is guilty of invasion of privacy, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process. This legal action comes in the wake of Judge Aileen Cannon's dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump, ruling that Special Counsel Jack Smith's appointment was unconstitutional.
Trump's lawyers argue that the federal government's goal for the Mar-a-Lago raid was to prevent Trump from running for the White House in 2024. Daniel Epstein, counsel to the former president, stated: "That's what President Trump believes the entire special counsel investigation was about, interfering with his ability to get elected."
The legal team also contends that the FBI ignored established protocol by conducting the raid without notifying Trump or his lawyers.
Earlier this year, the FBI released a statement saying that the Biden administration authorized the "use of deadly force" during the raid on Trump's estate, arguing that the authorization was in line with standard operating procedures.
Trump's lawyers are pointing to internal FBI emails that allegedly show agents questioning whether they obtained the required probable cause to proceed with the raid on Mar-a-Lago. This information was reported by Fox Business.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) revealed that Steven D'Antuono, the former assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, expressed strong concerns about the Department's pursuit of the raid and noted several unusual features in its handling of the case.
The FBI has maintained that they followed standard protocol during the search. In a statement, the bureau said:
The FBI followed standard protocol in this search as we do for all search warrants, which includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force. No one ordered additional steps to be taken and there was no departure from the norm in this matter.
Trump's lawyers argue that Attorney General Merrick Garland should have known that as a former president, Trump would have immunity from prosecution over his handling of the classified documents in question. They also contend that Smith could not be appointed as special counsel.
The federal government now has six months to decide if it will settle Trump's claim for $100 million. If the government does not settle with Trump, the former president can move forward with a lawsuit.
This legal action marks another chapter in the ongoing dispute between Trump and the federal government regarding the handling of classified documents and the unprecedented raid on his Florida estate.
Former President Donald Trump is preparing to sue the federal government for $100 million over the FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. His legal team alleges political interference and violations of protocol during the search. The lawsuit claims invasion of privacy, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process. The government now has six months to decide whether to settle the claim before Trump can proceed with the lawsuit.
