• disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Merchan’s gag order prohibits Trump from making public comments about witnesses, jurors, and other participants in the proceedings.

    Donald Trump’s lawyers are continuing their push to terminate the limited gag order in his New York hush money case, arguing that Trump’s “political opponents” – including President Joe Biden, Robert DeNiro, Michael Cohen, and Stormy Daniels – are using the gag order as a “sword” to attack the former president.

    Joe Biden and Robert DeNiro are not covered by the gag order. He can challenge comments made by Cohen and Daniels. He’s prohibited from directly addressing them or their character.

    “President Trump’s opponents and adversaries are using the Gag Order as a political sword to attack President Trump with reference to this case, on the understanding that his ability to mount a detailed response is severely restricted by the Gag Order,” the filing said.

    The gag order does not prevent him from charging them with libel or slander if any of their comments regarding his case are untrue. It also does not prohibit him from defending himself from accusations.

    “Such an unlawful restraint would be egregious here, where District Attorney Bragg is seeking to help President Biden and his political associates by asking the Court to silence President Trump during and after the upcoming presidential debate,” the filing said. “Worse still, the District Attorney is pursuing that strategy in a case he claims, falsely, is about influencing the 2016 election by allegedly withholding information from voters. The irony is palpable.”

    Why would he need to bring up witnesses or jurors involved with his NYS court case during a presidential debate?

    There’s no argument here that warrants removal of the order.