Trump's request for a special master, and the recommendation (agreed to by the DOJ) of Judge Raymond Dearie has backfired spectacularly. This is the case management plan set out by Judge Dearie:

 

Trump may be able to stiff his own lawyers, but the special master's assistant will be paid within seven days at the rate of $500 per hour under penalty of sanctions.

 

Trump himself (not his layers) is being forced to either back up his public claims about the documents in a sworn affidavit or acknowledge once and for all that he is full of excreta. Can you submit a sworn affidavit that essentially refuses to comply with the special master's request on the basis of your 5th Amendment protection against self incrimination? If not, whatever Trump submits, truthful or otherwise, is going to increase his peril in a potential criminal indictment.

 

I assume Trump's lawyers are going to immediately object to the order, and appeal to Judge Aileen "loose" Cannon. This will have the effect of putting Cannon on the spot, and I wonder what she will do.

 

Judge Dearie is doing everything within his power here to assist the DOJ in preventing future delaying tactics by Trump's lawyers, not just in this document review, but in the overall investigation and potential indictment of Trump. It is brilliant, and I would not like to be the person explaining this to Trump.