A New York judge on Monday banned former President Donald Trump from sharing evidence related to his criminal hush money case on social media.
Judge Juan Merchan's order, which sided heavily with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation, stated, "any materials and information provided by the People to the Defense in accordance with their discovery obligations ... shall be used solely for the purposes of preparing a defense in this matter."
The order also said that the ex-president may view "Limited Dissemination Materials" from prosecutors only while in the presence of his attorneys and "shall not be permitted to copy, photograph, transcribe, or otherwise independently possess the Limited Dissemination Materials."
Judge Merchan further orders that Trump can view certain discovery materials only in the presence of his attorneys.
— Katie S. (💙-check) Phang (@KatiePhang) May 8, 2023
The order added that Trump is banned from reviewing "forensic images of witness cell phones," though lawyers may show him "approved portions."
NBC News reported that prosecutors in the criminal case have pushed for "safeguards that will protect the integrity of the materials," arguing that the likelihood of Trump using the evidence "inappropriately is substantial."
"About. Damn. Time." tweeted MSNBC legal analyst Glenn Kirschner.
About. Damn. Time. pic.twitter.com/IFx2ylYRbx
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) May 8, 2023
"This is more like it," lawyer and political commentator Tristan Snell wrote on Twitter. "No special treatment. ANY defendant doing what Trump did would be treated this way."
BREAKING: Trump hit with court order in Manhattan hush money criminal case, FORBIDDING him from posting evidence from the case on social media without court’s permission.
— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) May 8, 2023
This is more like it. No special treatment. ANY defendant doing what Trump did would be treated this way.
"(Contempt violation coming in 1 2 3…)" tweeted Jeffery Evan Gold, an attorney and legal analyst.
NEW... NY judge presiding over the criminal hush money case against Donald Trump issued an order Monday restricting the former president from posting about evidence in the case on social media.
— Jeffrey Evan Gold (@jeffgoldesq) May 8, 2023
(Contempt violation coming in 1 2 3...) https://t.co/jDHEgwjFYP via @nbcnews
Last month, Trump targeted Merchan in a Truth Social rant after learning the judge would be presiding over the case, which involves his role in payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels leading up to the 2016 election. Trump cited right-wing reports that Merchan's daughter worked for Kamala Harris's campaign in 2019 before she dropped out of the presidential race.
"THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE & HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS," Trump claimed. "HE WAS AN UNFAIR DISASTER ON A PREVIOUS TRUMP RELATED CASE, WOULDN'T RECUSE, GAVE HORRIBLE JURY INSTRUCTIONS, & IMPOSSIBLE TO DEAL WITH DURING THE WITCH HUNT TRIAL. HIS DAUGHTER WORKED FOR "KAMALA" & NOW THE BIDEN-HARRIS CAMPAIGN. KANGAROO COURT!!!"
Trump has also lashed out at Bragg and other prosecutors investigating him.
"Trump continues to post things, false things, dangerous things about the prosecutors who are investigating his crimes, about the prosecutors who have indicted him, have charged him, and they're actually in court, prosecuting his crimes," Kirschner warned in a video on Sunday. "And these are posts that deploy lies and disinformation to poison the well of public opinion, to poison all future jury pools. And that put prosecutors and their family and their staff members at risk."
