Donald Trump filed an appeal against a gag order imposed by a judge in his hush money criminal case that threatened him with prison for violating the ban on discussing any witnesses, jurors, or parties related to him. The request for the state appeals court to take up the case was defended by Trump’s presidential campaign spokesman, accusing Judge Juan Merchan of imposing an unconstitutional and un-American order and likening the situation to Third World authoritarian tactics.
The state’s appellate court upheld Judge Merchan’s gag order on Trump, stating that his public statements posed a significant risk to the integrity of testimony from witnesses and others involved in the case. Trump had been fined $10,000 for violating the gag order multiple times by making comments about witnesses like himself, court staff, and prosecutors. The gag order also prohibited him from directing others to make statements and threatening to jail him if he continued to violate the order. Trump had appealed the order, arguing that it infringed on his free speech rights and hindered his ability to engage in protected political speech during his campaign and legal battles.
