Judge Cannon Grants Trump Request to Seal Affidavit
Florida judge Aileen Cannon just ruled on a motion that the Justice Department says is necessary to protect an FBI agent from potential “threats and harassment.”
Judge Cannon, who was also responsible for appointing a special master in the Trump-FBI raid case, ruled in favor of the Justice Department, according to Mediaite.
This week, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES) of DoJ’s National Security Division Deputy Chief Julie Edelstein filed a motion asking ”to file under seal one document, the United States’ Affidavit Regarding Detailed Inventory (the “Affidavit”), which is made pursuant to the Special Master’s Case Management Plan (DE 112).”
According to Mediaite, the reasons for the request included:
In a hearing on September 20, 2022, the Special Master gave permission for the government to redact the name of the FBI Supervisory Special Agent making the Affidavit. On September 26, 2022, the government filed on the public docket a Notice of Filing that attached the redacted version of the affidavit and indicated it had filed a motion to seal the unredacted version (DE 116).1 The proposed sealed document is the unredacted version of the Affidavit. The redaction sought here will protect the identity of an FBI agent working on this investigation. This limited sealing is necessary because a number of the government personnel working on this investigation have, once their identities have been revealed publicly, been subject to threats and harassment.
Judge Cannon ruled on the motion on Thursday in favor of the DOJ.
THIS CAUSE comes before the Court upon Defendant’s Renewed Motion to File Affidavit Under Seal [ECF No. 122].
The Motion seeks leave to file under seal an unredacted version of the minimally redacted Affidavit that has already been filed on the docket [ECF No. 116-1].
The Court has reviewed the Motion and is otherwise duly advised.
Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:
1. Defendant’s Renewed Motion to File Affidavit Under Seal [ECF No. 122] is GRANTED.
2. On or before September 30, 2022, Defendant shall file under seal the unredacted version
of the Affidavit [ECF No. 116-1].
3. The seal will remain in place until further order of the Court.
Since the FBI’s August raid of former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, the Justice Department has reportedly seen a distinct uptick in threats against the department.
