New York appeals court on Tuesday upheld gag order barring former president Donald Trump from making statements against witnesses, judges and others in hush money trial.
In a five-page ruling, the appellate division, New York Supreme Court's first department, found that Judge Juan Merchan “properly determined that [Trump's] public statements posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses in this case.”
“We find that Justice Merchan properly weighed petitioner's First Amendment Rights against the court's historical commitment to ensuring the fair administration of justice in criminal cases, and the right of persons related or tangentially related to the criminal proceedings from being free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm,” the ruling said.
Merchan issued an order prohibiting the GOP leader from publicly making remarks on witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, or the judge's family. It does not stop him from blasting Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).
Trump calls Juan Merchan an overseer of a ‘kangaroo court’
{{/usCountry}}Trump calls Juan Merchan an overseer of a ‘kangaroo court’
{{/usCountry}}Notably, his plea was rejected a day after Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social and declared that Merchan is a “highly conflicted” overseer of a “kangaroo court.”
His fans and supporters quickly reacted to his post with a blitz of attacks on Merchan. The remarks quickly turned nasty. Some have called for Merchan and other judges who are hearing cases against Trump to be executed.
“Treason is a hangable offense,” one user commented. “They should all be executed,” added another.
Trump is charged with 34 charges of fabricating company documents in connection hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to hide their alleged affair ahead of 2016 election. Trump has denied extra-marital affair, claiming that there was no illegality with the payments. He has also pleaded not guilty.
Michael Cohen testifies in hush money trial
The former president's attorneys criticised Trump's former close aide and then fixer Michael Cohen for repeatedly attacking the GOP leader on social media and elsewhere in the run-up to his testimony, which kicked off on Monday, while Trump was barred from responding.
Merchan told prosecutors on Friday to inform Cohen that he should not make any further public statements on the issue.
The judge also concluded Trump had breached his gag order ten times since it was issued, ordering him to pay a $1,000 fee per violation and threatening that further violations might result in jail time.