A legal dispute between the Trump team and the prosecution is intensifying around the gag order imposed on the former president in his New York hush-money case.
Judge Juan Merchan of the New York State Supreme Court recently granted a limited gag order that prevents Trump from speaking about district attorney employees, prosecutors, and possible witnesses and jurors.
Preventing Harm and Intimidation
Nevertheless, Trump’s targeting of Merchan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, or their families was not expressly forbidden under the order.
The action was taken in response to Trump’s social media attack on Merchan’s daughter, which prompted Bragg’s office to demand that Trump stop attacking family members and to clarify who is protected by the injunction.
The proposal emphasizes how serious the situation is and aims to stop additional violence and intimidation. Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney, responded by opposing the request, claiming that the judge cannot extend the gag order without a valid reason.
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Trump’s Allegations & Denials
Blanche made it clear that limits on harming Bragg, Merchan, or their families are not included in the gag order as drafted. The debate demonstrates the acrimonious character of the court cases and the varying perspectives regarding the parameters of the gag order.
The central charge in the underlying criminal case is that, while running for president in 2016, Trump allegedly paid adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, better known by her stage name Stormy Daniels, hush money by fabricating business papers. Trump has fiercely refuted the accusations, calling them the product of a personal political grudge.
Tensions are running high as both sides get ready for what seems to be a well watched legal battle, with the trial scheduled to begin on April 15. The case’s verdict may have a significant impact on Trump and determine the course of his legacy after leaving office.
Observers are keenly following the developments as the legal fighting goes on, curious to see how the argument over the gag order plays out and how it might affect the proceedings going ahead.
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