In the 2020 presidential election subversion lawsuit involving former President Donald Trump, a federal judge has restored a limited gag order.
It prohibits him from criticizing prosecutors, court personnel, and potential witnesses in the lead-up to his trial.
Judge Tanya Chutkan restored the injunction on Sunday after briefly lifting it earlier this month to allow his attorneys to file an appeal.
Trump, an hour after the news broke, referred to the judge as “Trump hating.”
In a statement on his Truth Social social media account, he stated that the gag order “will put me at a disadvantage against my prosecutorial and political opponents.”
The 2024 Republican presidential front-runner was accused earlier this year for allegedly trying to have his loss in the 2020 election to Democrat, Joe Biden, reversed.
This indictment contains four counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to hinder an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against citizens’ rights.
The trial is set for March, and he has entered a not guilty plea on all counts.
The investigation’s main special counsel, Jack Smith, first asked for the gag order against Mr. Trump, claiming that his public remarks may “prejudice” trial participants, such as jurors and court employees.
In addition to other derogatory terms, the former president has previously referred to Mr. Smith as a “thug” and a “deranged lunatic”.
At the time of the re-imposition of the injunction, Judge Chutkan gave no more explanation to why the order was reinstated.
Trump’s legal counsel had contended that the gag order infringes upon his freedom of expression.
Judge Chutkan was also urged to step down by Trump’s legal team, citing her prior remarks as evidence of her perceived prejudice against him.
She denied his plea to resign in September, citing the inability of Mr. Trump’s attorneys to provide proof for their allegations.
Another ongoing civil fraud trial in New York has placed the former president under a gag order.
In that particular case, the judge fined Mr. Trump $5,000 and $10,000 separately for breaking that order.
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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