A Manhattan judge has modified the gag order in the hush-money case involving former President Donald Trump, allowing him to publicly criticize witnesses such as Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. However, Trump remains prohibited from speaking out against Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, their staff, and families. The ruling comes after Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a secret payout to Daniels to conceal a sex scandal before the 2016 election.
Trump’s lawyers had requested the complete removal of the gag order, arguing that he should have the freedom to attack the case ahead of his upcoming election debate with President Biden. While Bragg’s office approved the modification to allow Trump to criticize witnesses, prosecutors insisted on maintaining the rest of the order to ensure the safety of those involved. They cited 56 new threats received by Bragg, his family, and his staff since April.
The existing gag order already permitted Trump to broadly criticize the case and attack Bragg and Merchan. However, Trump had complained about not being able to mention Merchan’s daughter’s consulting work for prominent Democrats. The claim, along with the fact that Merchan donated $35 to Democratic causes in 2020, did not meet the legal standard required to remove a judge from a case, according to New York State’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics.
During his trial, Trump violated the terms of the gag order ten times by attacking Manhattan prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, who had previously served as a high-ranking Justice Department official under Biden. Trump has repeatedly alleged that his felony conviction was orchestrated by Biden, despite the fact that the Manhattan district attorney is a state official who does not answer to the president. As a result, Judge Merchan fined Trump $10,000.
Trump’s campaign has announced its intention to challenge the order, claiming it is unconstitutional. However, New York’s mid-level and highest appeals courts have already rejected similar claims by Trump, asserting that his limited restrictions do not violate his constitutional rights.
1 Response
This is absolutely outrageous! It’s sickening to see a judge granting Donald Trump the freedom to publicly attack witnesses like Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. This decision only serves to further enable Trump’s toxic behavior and allows him to continue his relentless campaign of intimidation and defamation. It’s a slap in the face to justice and sends a dangerous message that powerful individuals can manipulate the legal system to suit their own interests. This case should be about seeking the truth, not giving Trump a platform to spew his