On Thursday, a New York appeals court rejected former President Donald Trump's challenge to his hush money gag order
In a three-page order, a panel of five judges declined to reverse Judge Juan Merchan's ruling, which following the blockbuster trial allowed Trump to resume making public remarks about key witnesses and the jury that convicted him but continued to bar him from attacking prosecutors overseeing the case.
The order states:
“Petitioner's contention that the conclusion of trial constitutes a change in circumstances warranting termination of the remaining Restraining Order provision is unavailing,” the appeals panel wrote in its ruling.
The panel added that, despite Trump's assertions, evidence presented by the Manhattan district attorney's office demonstrated that threats its staff has received following the verdict “continued to pose a significant and imminent threat.”
Trump has repeatedly argued the gag order, as well as similar restrictions imposed in two of his other legal cases, violate his First Amendment rights.
Earlier this year, Trump made history by becoming the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony. A New York jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to his hush money payments to former adult film worker Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
After the trial, Trump sought to lift his gag order again, insisting the restrictions were no longer needed since the testimony had concluded.
Merchan agreed to partially lift it, enabling Trump to again criticize witnesses like ex-fixer Michael Cohen and Daniels, and the jury.
However, the judge sided with prosecutors and refused the former president's demand to lift the order entirely. The narrowed terms still prevent Trump from attacking line prosecutors as well as the families of Merchan and Bragg. Merchan and Bragg themselves have always been fair game.
A spokesperson for Trump responded to the ruling and signaled the former President will continue to challenge the order.
“President Trump continues to forcefully challenge Acting Justice Merchan's decision to leave in place portions of the unconstitutional Gag Order, which is meant to prevent President Trump from speaking freely about Judge Merchan's disqualifying conflicts and the overwhelming evidence further exposing the Harris – Biden Witch Hunt. The gag order is blatantly un-American as it continues to gag President Trump, the leading candidate in the 2024 Presidential Election,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
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