A New York appeals court on Thursday (1) rejected a challenge by former President Donald Trump to a gag order in a criminal case in which he was convicted on charges related to paying bribes to a porn star.
The ruling by the Manhattan Appellate Division bars the Republican presidential candidate from making public comments about prosecutors and others involved in the case until Judge Juan Merchan hands down his sentence on Sept. 18, seven weeks before the Nov. 5 election.
Trump’s lawyers argued that imposing silence violates freedom of speech, as expressed in the First Amendment of the Constitution.
Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Republican candidate’s campaign, said he “continues to vigorously defy” the ban on commenting.
“The silence is blatantly un-American as it continues to muzzle President Trump,” he said. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday, Trump appeared in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to become the Democratic nominee for the White House. In the poll, Harris appears numerically ahead by 43% to 42% among registered voters, a margin of error.
Merchan imposed the gag order a few weeks before the trial was set to begin on April 22, saying Trump’s history of making threatening statements could jeopardize the proceedings.
The original order barred Trump from commenting on prosecutors, court staff, witnesses and jurors. A separate order against the seizing of anonymous jurors remains in effect.
Merchan lifted restrictions on witnesses and jurors after Trump’s May 30 conviction.
The Appellate Division, a mid-level appeals court, said threats made to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s staff after the verdict remained a “significant and immediate” threat.
The jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying financial records to cover up a $130,000 payment his lawyer, Michael Cohen, made to actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump has vowed to appeal his conviction after the sentence is formalized.
Source: CNN Brasil
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