Judge Issues Gag Order in Trump Fraud Trial

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Facts

  • Judge Arthur F. Engoron on Tuesday issued a gag order in the New York civil fraud case against former Pres. Donald Trump in response to 'personal attacks on members' of the court’s staff by Trump. The order only applies to verbal attacks on staff.1
  • In a since-deleted Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump insinuated that a court clerk standing in a photo with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was his 'girlfriend.' The post also demanded the case be dismissed.2
  • Engoron, who is overseeing the non-jury trial brought by New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James, called Trump’s comments 'unacceptable' and 'inappropriate,' also promising that there would be sanctions for any violations of the gag order by anyone on either side of the case.3
  • Previously, on the trial’s first day, Trump used the lunch break to address the media to call the proceedings a 'disgrace,' a 'scam' and part of the witch hunt to prevent the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination from returning to the White House.4
  • James has accused Trump, his family, and the Trump Organization of fraud related to inflating and deflating the value of his assets.1

Sources: 1FOX News, 2USA Today, 3Reuters and 4Verity lite.

Narratives

  • Anti-Trump, as provided by MSNBC. Trump’s deleted social media post was part of a pattern in which he publicly excoriated those involved in the numerous cases against him to undermine the integrity of the judicial system. Any other citizen would've been more severely punished by now, so a gag order will hopefully stop the attacks and lessen the risk of one of Trump’s supporters fulfilling the former president’s urges for violence.
  • Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by Daily caller. Trump has the same rights as every other citizen to call out bias and corruption, particularly when it could lead to the loss of many of his business interests. This clerk is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat who is overwhelmingly against Trump. This case is a witch hunt that originated with a Democratic Attorney General who was determined to go after Trump, and it seems he'll never get a fair shake.