Trump Issued Gag Order in Hush Money Trial
Former Pres. Donald Trump on Tuesday was issued a limited gag order by a New York judge in the case accusing Trump of paying hush money to cover up a sex scandal during the 2016 presidential campaign....
Facts
- Former Pres. Donald Trump on Tuesday was issued a limited gag order by a New York judge in the case accusing Trump of paying hush money to cover up a sex scandal during the 2016 presidential campaign.1
- Under this order, Trump is forbidden from speaking about witnesses' roles in the case, and commenting on court staff, prosecutors, and their families if those comments will interfere with the case. Trump, however, is permitted to comment on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.2
- In issuing the order, Justice Juan Merchan explained that Trump's previous public statements in this and other cases have been 'threatening, inflammatory' and 'denigrating' and the gag order is meant to secure the 'orderly administration' of the case.2
- In a post on the Truth Social social media platform, Trump called the gag order 'vicious' and unconstitutional because it violates his First Amendment rights to speak out against what he called the weaponization of law enforcement against him.3
- Trump last April pleaded not guilty to 34 counts related to his alleged falsifying of business records related to hush money payments through his lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The trial is scheduled to begin April 15.4
- Previously, Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, faced gag orders in two other cases — his New York civil fraud trial and the federal case accusing him of interfering in the certification of the 2020 presidential election results.5
Sources: 1The New York Times, 2Reuters, 3The Hill, 4ABC News and 5USA Today.
Narratives
- Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by FOX News. This anti-American gag order is dangerous because it violates the First Amendment rights of a candidate for the presidency to defend against potentially politically motivated criminal charges. Even the gag order seems politically motivated because it only restricts Trump's speech but the witnesses against him are permitted to continue commenting.
- Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by Newsweek. This gag order should be applauded because it'll keep people who are just doing their jobs related to this case from being put in the crosshairs by Trump's violence-inspiring rhetoric. In addition to holding him accountable for his crimes, he should have to face the music over his insults and threats that endanger so many people by making them targets for his supporters.
