Judge Expands Gag Order Amid Trump’s Criminal Trial

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial has made a significant move by expanding the gag order to now also include family members. This development comes as a result of recent comments made by Trump against the judge’s daughter. Earlier on Monday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office sought this expansion to prevent the former president from attacking family members associated with the ongoing case.

DA’s Request to Curb Trump’s Public Statements

District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office filed a motion on Monday urging Judge Juan Merchan to expand the gag order in order to prohibit Trump from making public statements about the court, the District Attorney, and everyone else involved in the case. Prosecutors argued that Trump’s recent attacks on the Court and the judge’s family members were unwarranted and should be prevented in the name of justice.

Trump’s Social Media Posts Following Gag Order

Last week, shortly after Judge Merchan issued the initial gag order, Donald Trump resorted to a series of posts on his social media platform. Notably, the gag order did not cover District Attorney Bragg, the judge, or their respective family members. In his posts, Trump accused Merchan of being “compromised” and specifically identified the judge’s daughter, who Trump alleged to be associated with a political consulting firm. However, the spokesperson for the court confirmed that the judge’s daughter had deactivated her social media account two years ago, and the posts in question were not from her.

Proponents and Opponents of Gag Order Expansion

While Trump’s defense team countered that the existing gag order is already too restrictive, they vehemently opposed any expansion and hinted at the possibility of a future appeal. They contended that Trump’s freedom of speech, protected under the First Amendment, should allow him to defend himself and engage in campaign speech. However, prosecutors argued that Trump’s past behavior, which involves attacking opponents personally and falsely smearing the court, goes far beyond ordinary campaign advocacy.

Trump’s Lawyers Seek Recusal of Judge

Trump’s legal team not only opposed the expansion of the gag order but also requested Judge Merchan to allow the filing of a recusal motion to remove him from the case. They based their motion on “changed circumstances and newly discovered evidence” that allegedly warrant the judge’s recusal. It’s important to note that Merchan had already denied a similar recusal motion from Trump in the past year.

Further Developments

(Updated Story)

Note: This article has been written for demonstrative purposes and does not represent real news or events.