Trump’s Gag Order In Hush Money Case Expanded

The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s hush money case has expanded the partial gag order he placed on the GOP presidential candidate. The Monday ruling comes after Trump made a series of posts on Truth Social targeting New York Justice Juan Merchan
and his daughter, Loren, who works at a leftist political consulting firm that has worked on President Joe Biden’s campaign and other Democrats.

Judge Expands Gag Order Against Trump In Hush Money Case https://t.co/YfX4FERChZ pic.twitter.com/tJLjt2wu44

— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) April 2, 2024

In a five-page ruling, Merchan criticized what he called Trump’s “pattern of attacking family members of presiding jurists and attorneys assigned to his cases.” According to him, that method “serves no legitimate purpose” but only “injects fear in those assigned or called to participate in the proceedings, that not only they, but their family members as well, are ‘fair game’ for Defendant’s vitriol.”

Trump already placed a gag order last week Tuesday, restricting Trump’s ability to speak out about witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors involved in the criminal case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. However, he did not draw the line with him or his family.

Merchan said during the ruling that Trump has made threatening, inflammatory” and “denigrating” statements about individuals involved in the case, posing “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice.”

He added that “the consequences of those statements included not only fear on the part of the individual targeted, but also the assignment of increased security resources to investigate threats and protect the individuals and family members thereof.”

After the judge’s decision, Trump made a post on Truth Social, saying that Loren “represents Crooked Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Adam ‘Shifty’ Schiff, and other Radical Liberals.” Stating that the judge’s daughter “posted a picture of me behind bars,” the GOP presumptive nominee determined that it is “completely impossible for me to get a fair trial.”

He also directly blasted Merchan, saying, “Judge Juan Merchan, who is suffering from an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome … has now issued another illegal, un-American, unConstitutional ‘order,’ as he continues to try and take away my Rights.”