Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg sought a gag order on Monday in the hush-money case against Donald Trump in New York, citing Trump's track record of making inflammatory public remarks about those involved in his legal battles.
Bragg urged Judge Juan Merchan to bar Trump from discussing witnesses' roles in the case or making statements intended to disrupt court proceedings significantly.
Bragg seeks narrow gag order for Trump, citing pattern of inflammatory rhetoric https://t.co/gJVohOzGJP
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2024
The request, detailed in a 30-page filing accompanied by 200 pages of exhibits, aimed to mirror the gag order imposed on Trump in his Washington, D.C., criminal case.
The prosecutors emphasized the need for the order to prevent potential interference and address threats allegedly linked to Trump's public attacks.
They cited instances of social media posts by Trump that they claim led to threats against Bragg and his office.
In response to the request, Trump's campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, criticized it as an unconstitutional infringement on Trump's First Amendment rights.
Cheung dismissed the case as a partisan effort orchestrated by Democrats to hinder Trump's reelection bid and divert attention from President Biden's administration.
“This case, like the others, is a sham orchestrated by partisan Democrats desperately attempting to prevent the reelection of President Trump and distract from the decrepit presidency of Crooked Joe Biden,” Cheung said.
“The Radical Left will fail and President Trump will Make America Great Again," he added.
Bragg's move aligns with other attempts to limit Trump's speech in legal proceedings, such as a similar gag order imposed by Judge Arthur Engoron in Trump's civil fraud trial in New York, where Trump faced fines for breaching the order.
The prosecutors highlighted a surge in threats against Bragg's office following Trump's public attacks, contrasting it with minimal threat activity before the case. They underscored the need to protect Bragg and his staff from violence, harassment, and intimidation.
Bragg's request comes ahead of the trial, where Trump faces charges related to falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump, a leading GOP presidential candidate, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In their filing, prosecutors cited Trump's social media posts, including one urging protests, which they say led to threats against Bragg. They argued that the gag order was necessary to prevent further interference and ensure a fair trial.
