Former President Trump went after the judge in his New York hush money trial on Wednesday after he placed a gag order on the former president, limiting what he can say publicly about the case.
Trump called the order, the third of its kind in his multiple legal cases, “illegal, un-American,” and “unconstitutional,” and characterized Judge Juan Merchan himself as politically biased.
“This Judge, by issuing a vicious ‘Gag Order,’ is wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, “Including the fact that Crooked Joe Biden, Merrick Garland, and their Hacks and Thugs are tracking and following me all across the Country, obsessively trying to persecute me, while everyone knows I have done nothing wrong!”
Prosecutors allege in the case that Trump illegally covered up hush money payments made to hide a past affair during his 2016 presidential election campaign. He pleaded not guilty to charges that he falsified business records.
The case is set to go to trial April 15, Merchan determined Monday, denying repeated attempts by Trump’s attorneys to further delay a trial.
The gag order specifically prevents Trump from publicly attacking witnesses, jurors and others during the trial, the first ever criminal trial of a former president. The order did not say anything about public statements regarding the judge or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).
Trump has faced two previous gag orders, one in his New York civil fraud trial and a second in his ongoing Washington-based election interference case. He derided and challenged both previous orders, though both were upheld.
Trump campaign spokesman Stephen Cheung denounced the order Tuesday as preventing the former president from “engaging in core political speech.”
“Worst of all, the gag order violates the civil rights of over 100 million Americans who follow President Trump and have a First Amendment right to receive and listen to his speech,” Cheung said. “American voters have a fundamental right to hear the uncensored voice of the leading candidate for the highest office in the land. President Trump will keep fighting for the our country and our Constitution.”
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