Trump takes first step to sue DOJ over Mar-a-Lago raid

Former President Donald Trump is preparing to sue the Department of Justice (DOJ) for $100 million in damages for the unprecedented raid the Biden-Harris administration ordered on his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. His lawyers claim it was done with the "clear intent to engage in political persecution."

Fox reported this news exclusively, citing the document that the Republican's legal team will soon file in court. The raid on Mar-a-Lago for Trump's alleged concealment of classified documents was the beginning of the case.

The warrant to inspect the home was followed by the appointment of special prosecutor Jack Smith in charge of the case. Smith brought 37 felony charges against Trump, including intentional withholding of  national defense information.

The case against Trump fell apart when U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, in charge of the prosecution, dismissed Smith's indictment against Trump. It was ruled that Smith was unconstitutionally appointed to handle the case.

Political persecution

Daniel Epstein, Donald Trump's attorney, filed the necessary notice to sue the DOJ. Now, the DOJ has 180 days from the date of receipt to respond to the notice and reach a resolution. If a resolution is not reached, Trump's case will go to a federal district court in Florida.

"What President Trump is doing here is not just standing up for himself – he is standing up for all Americans who believe in the rule of law and believe that you should hold the government accountable when it wrongs you," Daniel Epstein told Fox.

According to Fox, the notice filed by Trump's legal defense alleges that the "tortious acts against the president are rooted in intrusion upon seclusion, malicious prosecution, and abuse of process resulting from the August 8, 2022 raid of his and his family’s home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach Florida." It adds that the decisions made by the DOJ and FBI regarding that raid were "inconsistent with protocols requiring the consent of an investigative target, disclosure to that individual’s attorneys, and the use of the local U.S. Attorney’s Office."

Thus, Donald Trump and his lawyers now seek to maintain in court that the process initiated by Attorney General Merrick Garland's department was motivated by "clear intent to engage in political persecution – not to advance good law enforcement practices."