Topline
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a filing Monday the gag order against former President Donald Trump in his hush money case should be tightened after Trump’s repeated social media lashouts against Judge Juan Merchan and his daughter, echoing a similar request made by prosecutors last week.
Key Facts
Bragg said in his filing Trump’s “dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric fundamentally threatens” the proceedings surrounding the president’s hush money case and is designed to intimidate witnesses and trial participants.
Bragg referenced Truth Social posts made by Trump where the former president said Merchan, the judge overseeing the hush money case, was “totally compromised” and that Merchan’s daughter was a “Rabid Trump Hater” who works for President Joe Biden.
The gag order, issued last week, did not appear to bar Trump from verbally attacking the judge and his daughter.
Bragg argued that to the extent the gag order did not already prohibit Trump’s attacks, the court “can and should clarify or extend” the order to protect its family members and warn Trump that any further disregard for the order will result in sanctions.
Bragg’s filing echoes a similar request made by prosecutors last Friday, which said potential trial witnesses and prospective jurors not already in Trump’s sight will likely fear retaliation from the former president.
Trump’s first criminal trial is scheduled for April 15.
Contra
Trump’s attorneys said in their own filing Monday that Trump has not violated the order and broadening it “would exacerbate the existing and ongoing constitutional violations that the order is inflicting.”
Key Background
Merchan issued the gag order following Trump’s first round of comments against him and his daughter, which claimed Merchan was unable to be an impartial judge because his daughter worked as an executive at a progressive political consulting firm, Authentic Campaigns, which counts President Joe Biden as a client. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the nearly three dozen charges against him in the hush money case. The charges, which concern falsifying business records, are linked to an alleged attempt by Trump to reimburse his ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, for alleged payments he made to quiet adult film star Stormy Daniels about an affair she claimed she and Trump had.
Further Reading
Prosecutors Suggest Trump Gag Order Should Cover Repeated Attacks On Judge’s Daughter (Forbes)
Trump Again Targets Judge’s Daughter In New York Criminal Case (Forbes)
Trump Hit With Gag Order In Hush Money Trial (Forbes)
Trump Reprises ‘Stop The Steal’ Rallying Cry In Attacking Hush Money Trial Judge—And His Daughter (Forbes)