Former President Donald Trump is facing criticism from the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly attempting to undermine his criminal trial regarding election interference. Prosecutors are now asking for a partial gag order to be imposed against Trump, claiming that his comments are intimidating witnesses and tainting the jury pool.
According to the Justice Department, evidence has been presented to show that Trump’s remarks have already influenced members of the public. In a recent incident, a Texas woman was arrested for making racist death threats against the judge, which were believed to be inspired by Trump’s rhetoric.
Not only has Trump targeted the judge, but he has also verbally attacked his former attorney general, Bill Barr, and vice president, Mike Pence. Trump has claimed that he cannot receive a fair trial in the District of Columbia.
To prevent further influence on the case and protect the integrity of the trial, the Justice Department has proposed a limited gag order. This order would cover all attorneys involved in the case, preventing them from making out-of-court statements that could prejudice the case or intimidate witnesses.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, who previously handled a high-profile case involving the unregistered Russian agent Maria Butina, will be responsible for determining whether to impose the gag order.
It is worth noting that Trump is already subject to a type of gag order in a civil fraud trial in New York City. In that case, he was rebuked by the judge for making baseless accusations against the judge’s law clerk.
Naturally, Trump’s attorney is expected to argue against the imposition of any gag order, claiming that it would be an unconstitutional prior restraint on Trump’s freedom of speech. The attorney will likely assert that Trump has the right to express his opinions and defend himself, even outside the courtroom.
As the legal battle continues, the outcome will have significant implications for Trump’s ability to publicly discuss the ongoing trial and potentially influence public opinion.
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