New York's highest court has made a decision not to hear Donald Trump's appeal regarding the gag order in his hush money case. The gag order, initially issued by Judge Juan Merchan in the criminal case against Trump, remains in effect.
Trump, who was convicted of 34 counts of business fraud related to hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels, had requested Judge Merchan to terminate the gag order before his sentencing scheduled for July.
Back in March, just before the trial commenced, Judge Merchan granted prosecutors' request for a gag order that prohibited Trump from making public statements about witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, or their family members. However, Trump was allowed to comment on the judge and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Following violations of the gag order during the trial, Trump was fined $10,000 and found in criminal contempt by Judge Merchan, who warned of potential jail time if the violations continued.
In response to the gag order, Trump's attorneys argued that it restricts his core political speech during a crucial time in his presidential campaign, violating the rights of American voters to hear from a leading candidate on important public matters.
Despite the trial concluding, Trump's legal team maintained that the case raises significant constitutional questions, especially since the gag order does not specify an end date. They suggested that if the Court of Appeals deemed the gag order unconstitutional, it would undermine the basis for the fines imposed on Trump for violating it.
On the other hand, Bragg's office pushed for the dismissal of the appeal, citing Trump's history of making threatening and inflammatory remarks against trial participants.
