Former President Trump’s defense attorneys are asking Judge Juan Merchan to lift the gag order that restricts Trump from speaking about witnesses and the case, now that the trial has concluded. The attorneys cite the upcoming 2024 presidential election and the first debate against President Biden later in the month, as well as the First Amendment rights of Trump and his supporters. Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in a trial brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Despite repeated appeals, the gag order has remained in place throughout the trial. Trump’s legal team argues that with the trial over, there is no longer a justification for the continued restriction on Trump’s speech.
The defense attorneys believe that the restrictions on Trump’s extrajudicial statements should be lifted now that the trial has concluded. They contend that the concerns that led to the gag order are no longer relevant and that it is important for Trump to be able to freely exercise his First Amendment rights, particularly as he is considered the leading candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The defense team also points to comments made by President Biden and attacks from government witnesses as reasons why the order should be lifted. They argue that the upcoming presidential debate adds urgency to the request to lift the gag order.
Trump’s campaign communications director has called the gag order unconstitutional and un-American, stating that it was a key factor in what he believes was a rigged trial. Trump was fined $10,000 for violating the gag order during the trial, with Judge Merchan warning of further consequences, including jail time. The defense team maintains that the gag order violates Trump’s First Amendment rights and those of his supporters. Trump’s sentencing date is scheduled for July 11, just before the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be formally nominated as the 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
In a recent letter to Judge Merchan, Trump’s defense team argued that the gag order was unjustified from the beginning and reserves the right to challenge the harm it has caused to Trump’s First Amendment rights. The team believes that lifting the gag order is crucial for Trump to be able to fully engage in campaign advocacy for the 2024 presidential election. Despite Merchan’s warnings of potential jail time for further violations, the defense team is insistent on lifting the gag order, citing the importance of free speech in the political process.
It is evident that Trump’s team is pushing for the gag order to be lifted due to the upcoming political events and the need for Trump to be able to freely express his views as a political candidate. The defense team continues to assert that Trump’s First Amendment rights have been violated by the gag order and that lifting it is necessary for him to effectively campaign for the 2024 presidential election. The request to lift the gag order is based on the belief that the concerns that led to the imposition of the order no longer apply now that the trial is over, and Trump should be able to freely engage in political discourse.
