A New York judge, Juan M. Merchan, has issued a gag order on former President Donald Trump, preventing him from making public statements about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial. The order comes in response to Trump’s previous comments about individuals involved in the case and the approaching trial date of April 15. Judge Merchan, in granting the prosecution’s request, emphasized the imminent risk of harm posed by Trump’s statements.
Prosecutors had sought the gag order due to Trump’s long history of making public and inflammatory remarks about people involved in his legal cases. The order specifically prohibits Trump from making or directing others to make public statements about individuals connected to the trial, with the exception of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is an elected official.
This gag order adds to the existing restrictions imposed after Trump’s arraignment last April, which prevent him from using evidence in the case to attack witnesses. Trump’s campaign has not yet responded to the order, and no comment has been received from the prosecutors’ office.
The trial revolves around allegations related to hush money paid during Trump’s 2016 campaign to conceal claims of marital infidelity. The proceedings had faced uncertainty after Trump’s lawyers raised concerns about the overwhelming volume of evidence, consisting of nearly 200,000 pages, provided by a previous federal investigation into the matter. Trump’s legal team accused the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, led by Democrat Alvin Bragg, of intentionally withholding evidence from the 2018 federal investigation to gain an unfair advantage and harm Trump’s election chances.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer turned vocal critic, is expected to be a key prosecution witness against his ex-boss. Judge Merchan dismissed the defense’s claims during a hearing, stating that the DA’s office had no obligation to collect evidence from the federal investigation, nor was the U.S. attorney’s office required to volunteer the documents. The judge emphasized that the defense should have acted sooner if they believed they did not have all the records they wanted.
While the hush-money case may be considered less significant than other prosecutions against Trump, such as charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election results and illegally retaining classified documents, it holds added importance as the only trial likely to proceed in the coming months. The trial will commence with jury selection, a potentially challenging task given the case’s publicity and Trump’s unpopularity in heavily Democratic Manhattan.
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Gonzalez, recently ruled that President Trump must pay $2 million in damages for misusing funds from his charitable foundation, the Trump Foundation. The judge found that Trump had used the foundation’s funds for personal and political purposes, including paying off legal obligations and promoting his presidential campaign.
This ruling is significant because it highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in charitable organizations. It serves as a reminder that individuals in positions of power must adhere to ethical standards and use charitable funds for their intended purposes.
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“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” – Benjamin Franklin
This quote resonates with the post because it highlights the importance of empathy and solidarity in seeking justice. In the context of the New York judge mentioned, it implies that justice cannot be fully achieved unless everyone, regardless of their personal circumstances, stands up against injustice. It reminds us that it is not enough to simply be aware of or acknowledge the issues; we must actively engage and express our