Judge plans to appoint a 'special master' to review documents in Trump's records case

An aerial view of former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. August 15, 2022. Marco Bello | Reuters

A federal judge in Florida told the Justice Department on Saturday to provide her with more specific information about the classified records removed from former President Donald Trump's Florida estate and said it was her "preliminary intent" to appoint a special master in the case. The two-page order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon signals that she's inclined to grant a request from Trump's lawyers, who this week asked for the appointment of an independent special master to review the records taken from Mar-a-Lago and identify any that may be protected by executive privilege. The judge scheduled a Thursday hearing to discuss the matter further. A special master is often a former judge. Cannon also directed the Justice Department to file under seal with her more detailed descriptions of the material taken from Trump's property. The former president's lawyers have complained that investigators did not disclose enough information to them about what specific documents were removed when agents executed a search warrant on Aug. 8 to look for classified documents.

The special master appointment, if it happens, is unlikely to significantly affect the direction of the Justice Department investigation, though it's possible an outside review of the documents could slow the probe down.

#Judge #plans #appoint #special #master #review #documents #Trumps #records #case https://www.globalcourant.com/judge-plans-to-appoint-a-special-master-to-review-documents-in-trumps-records-case/?feed_id=16812&_unique_id=630ae06801fa0

Trump asks court for neutral oversight of FBI review of Mar-a-Lago files

Former US president's attorneys say materials taken from Trump's Florida residence were “presumptively” covered by executive privilege and the FBI review should be overseen by a "special master".

The Federal Bureau of Investigation building headquarters as seen in Washington, US, on August 13, 2022. (AP)

Lawyers for former President Donald Trump have asked a federal judge to prevent the FBI from continuing a review of documents recovered from his Florida estate earlier this month until a neutral "special master" can be appointed. The attorneys asserted in a court filing on Monday, their first since the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago two weeks ago, that the sets of documents taken from the residence were “presumptively” covered by executive privilege. “This matter has captured the attention of the American public. Merely ‘adequate’ safeguards are not acceptable when the matter at hand involves not only the constitutional rights of President Trump, but also the presumption of executive privilege,” the attorneys wrote. Trump's court motion, filed in a federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, also demanded that the US Justice Department provide him with a more-detailed property receipt outlining the items the FBI seized from his Mar-a-Lago home during its August 8 search, and asked investigators to return any items that were not within the scope of the search warrant. Separately on Monday, a federal judge acknowledged that redactions to an FBI affidavit spelling out the basis for the search might be so extensive as to make the document “meaningless” if released to the public.  A written order from US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart largely restates what he said in court last week, when he directed the Justice Department to propose redactions about the information in the affidavit that it wants to remain secret. That submission is due Thursday at noon. Justice Department officials have sought to keep the entire document sealed, saying disclosing any portion of it risks compromising an ongoing criminal investigation, revealing information about witnesses and divulging investigative techniques. They have advised the judge that the necessary redactions to the affidavit would be so numerous that they would strip the document of any substantive information and make it effectively meaningless for the public. Reinhart acknowledged that possibility in his Monday order, adding, “I may ultimately reach that conclusion after hearing further from the Government.” READ MORE: US judge to consider partially unsealing affidavit behind Trump home raid [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aSJccrT7dg[/embed] Call for releasing materials Several news organizations, including The Associated Press, have urged the judge to unseal additional records tied to this month's search of Mar-a-Lago, when FBI officials said they recovered 11 sets of classified documents, including top secret records, from the Florida estate. Of particular interest is the affidavit supporting the search, which presumably contains key details about the Justice Department's investigation examining whether Trump retained and mishandled classified and sensitive government records. Trump and some of his supporters have also called for the document to be released, hoping it will expose what they contend was government overreach. In his written ruling, Reinhart said the Justice Department had a compelling interest in preventing the affidavit from being released in its entirety. But he said he did not believe it should remain fully sealed, and said he was not persuaded by the department's arguments that the redaction process “imposes an undue burden on its resources." READ MORE: US Justice Department opposes disclosure of affidavit on Trump's house raid Source: AP

Source https://www.globalcourant.com/trump-asks-court-for-neutral-oversight-of-fbi-review-of-mar-a-lago-files/?feed_id=14425&_unique_id=630408e4ae5e8

'Bullet Train' review: Brad Pitt stars in a thrill ride you can afford to miss

That latter influence shouldn't be surprising, since director David Leitch oversaw the "Deadpool" sequel, in addition to toiling in the "John Wick" and "Fast & Furious" franchises. The Tarantino echoes are also heightened by Pitt's presence, having shown off his playfully macho side in that director's films, most recently winning an Oscar for "Once Upon a Time in ... Hollywood."

The story, however -- which screenwriter Zak Olkewicz adapted from Japanese novel -- doesn't possess enough fuel to consistently sustain that tone. Even extensive flashbacks to get the narrative out of its confined space can't add enough intrigue to the machinations of these strangers on a train.

Joining the story in progress, Pitt's bad-luck hitman (codenamed Ladybug) boards a bullet train in Japan, with orders to acquire a briefcase full of cash. Alas, he's not the only skilled assassin on board, with each pursuing different marching orders, confusion as to who's pulling the strings and a whole lot of miscommunication along the way.

If Pitt's world-weary character just wants to complete the assignment and disembark, others harbor more personal motives. The various factions range from a mysterious young woman (Joey King) to a squabbling pair of operatives referred to as "twins" (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry) to a revenge-minded killer played by Benito A. Martínez Ocasio, a.k.a. Bad Bunny.

That barely scratches the surface of the cast, including cameos clearly intended to provide little rewards to the audience. The tradeoff, though, is that some more recognizable faces appear so briefly as to barely register.

The claustrophobic setting actually works to the advantage of staging the fight sequences, which are brutal, bloody and frequently played for laughs. Indeed, more than one mimics the interrupted showdown in "Kill Bill," including the amusing dilemma of how to try to kill somebody without violating the rules of the train's "quiet car."

For the most part, though, "Bullet Train" underscores the challenges in trying to infuse this kind of movie with the qualities of a live-action cartoon, even if the goal is two hours of unpretentious escapism.

This isn't another sequel, which in this genre almost by itself feels like cause for celebration; still, nor does the movie feel remotely original. Perhaps that's why even though the resulting ride isn't without thrills, in terms of punching a ticket for the theater, it's hard to recommend catching this "Train."

"Bullet Train" premieres Aug. 5 in US theaters. It's rated R.

https://www.globalcourant.com/bullet-train-review-brad-pitt-stars-in-a-thrill-ride-you-can-afford-to-miss/?feed_id=5909&_unique_id=62ea0fa4a82fb

'Keep Breathing' review: Melissa Barrera stars in a survival thriller that starts well before running out of oxygen

The six-episode Netflix show actually starts well enough, with Barrera's Liv desperate to find a flight to Canada after hers is canceled and bribing her way onto a private plane that, no spoiler here, crashes into the Canadian frontier. Left alone, she must fight and claw to survive, finding food and discovering what bears do in the woods, before eventually seeking to rescue herself.

That's all pretty compelling for a while, but then there's the matter of why this New York lawyer was so hellbent on reaching her destination, and a series of flashbacks involving her coworker turned boyfriend (Jeff Wilbusch) and her complicated relationships with her parents.

The switching back and forth between adventure/survival stakes and the rather tedious personal drama leaves "Keep Breathing" gasping for air, as do some of the gimmicky flourishes used to essentially give Barrera -- alone as she is -- something with which to interact.

Produced by Martin Gero and Brendan Gall (who worked on "Blindspot," another series about a female protagonist with a shadowy past), the episodes are relatively and mercifully short, with most running 30-some-odd minutes; even so, the show can't entirely escape the common sensation of a movie concept stretched out to roughly twice that length.

Whether struggling to survive or exhibiting her workaholic side in the flashbacks, Barrera holds up her end of the bargain, but the writing simply doesn't.

Once you start "Breathing," there's a curiosity about how it all turns out, especially since the time demands aren't that daunting. That's not an awful bargain, but if you're waiting for it to get better, well, don't hold your breath.

"Keep Breathing" premieres July 28 on Netflix.

https://www.globalcourant.com/keep-breathing-review-melissa-barrera-stars-in-a-survival-thriller-that-starts-well-before-running-out-of-oxygen/?feed_id=3690&_unique_id=62e378148b0e2