Former President Donald Trump's legal team is intensifying efforts to lift the gag order that prohibits him from commenting on individuals involved in his recent Manhattan criminal trial. The trial concluded with Trump being found guilty of falsifying records to conceal a potential sex scandal.
In a recent court filing, Trump's lawyers argued that the gag order represents an unprecedented and unjustified restriction on his freedom of speech. They have urged Judge Juan M. Merchan to revoke the order, emphasizing that it should have been lifted following the guilty verdict.
Prosecutors, however, have advocated for maintaining the gag order until Trump's sentencing on July 11, citing the need to safeguard the integrity of the legal proceedings and ensure fair justice administration.
The gag order was initially imposed on March 26, prior to the trial's commencement, in response to concerns raised by prosecutors about Trump's history of attacking individuals involved in his legal matters. It was later expanded to include restrictions on comments about the judge's family after Trump made disparaging remarks about the judge's daughter, who is a Democratic consultant.
While comments about Judge Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg are permitted, the gag order prohibits statements about court personnel and members of Bragg's prosecution team.
Trump's legal team contends that the gag order unjustly limits his ability to respond to critics and political adversaries, including President Joe Biden's remarks following the verdict and ongoing criticism from key prosecution witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels.
Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to Daniels before the 2016 election. The payment was allegedly made to conceal a past sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels, which he denies.
While the conviction carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, it remains uncertain whether prosecutors will seek incarceration, and the sentencing outcome is yet to be determined by Judge Merchan.
