A gag order preventing Donald Trump from speaking publicly about the staff of judges overseeing his civil fraud trial in New York has been temporarily lifted over free speech concerns.
Judge David Friedman, of the state’s Appellate Division, First Department, issued a ruling from the bench Thursday afternoon, finding that the order could be a violation of Trump’s constitutional right to free speech.
He issued a gag order from Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron from the first week of the trial — suspending it while the appeals case is conducted.
Trump, 77, was fined $15,000 in total by Engoron, which found the former president had twice violated the order by commenting on the judge’s chief law clerk.
Engoron silenced Trump on October 3 after Trump posted a photo of the clerk, Allison Greenfield, standing with US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Former President Donald Trump attends the Trump Organization’s civil fraud trial at the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan. via REUTERS
He called Greenfield “Schumer’s girlfriend” and accused her of “running this case against me.”
Trump’s side late Wednesday filed an appeal against the gag order and $15,000 fine, claiming the violation of his right to free speech is more serious given that he is the GOP frontrunner for the 2024 presidential election.
“This constitutional protection is at its peak where the speech in question is a core political speech, made by a front-runner for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination, regarding the perception of bias and partiality in the trial where he was fined hundreds of millions of dollars and a ban threatened his business activities which legal in that state,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in the appeal.
Lawyers also filed a motion for a mistrial alleging Engoron and Greenfield — both Democrats — are biased against Trump.
Lawyers also filed a motion for a mistrial, alleging Engoron was biased against Trump.
The former president’s legal team has repeatedly complained that Greenfield – a former judicial candidate – had undue influence in the trial – as he has been seen for weeks whispering into the judge’s ear and passing him notes.
“I am pleased to see the Court of Appeals restore much-needed respect for constitutional rights in this political circus orchestrated and enabled by the State Attorney General’s office,” Trump attorney Alina Habba said in a statement. The Attorney General’s Office did not return a request for comment Thursday afternoon.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
