On Tuesday, a New York Appeals court upheld Judge Juan Merchan‘s limited gag order in the ongoing hush money trial against former President Donald Trump.
The gag order which was imposed in March prohibits Trump from from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and the judge’s family. The gag order does not prevent Trump from attacking the judge or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).
The judge in the case has ruled Trump has violated the order 10 times, resulting in a total of $10,000 in fines, and threatened jail time if Trump continues to violate the order.
“Justice Merchan properly determined that petitioner’s public statements posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses in this case as well,” the decision from the five-judge panel reads.
The Hill reports that in the decision, the panel compares Merchan’s gag order to a gag imposed on Trump in his federal election interference case. The New York judges aligned with the District of Columbia U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to allow Trump’s gag there to stand. (RELATED: Trump Legal Team Moves To Appeal ‘Unconstitutional’ Gag Order)
“Weighing these concerns, the circuit court ultimately concluded that, given the record, the court had ‘a duty to act proactively to prevent the creation of an atmosphere of fear or intimidation aimed at preventing trial participants and staff from performing their functions within the trial process,’” the five-judge panel wrote. “This Court adopts the reasoning in the circuit court’s Federal Restraining Order Decision.”
Trump is being charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records to make alleged hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
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