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A New York judge overseeing the criminal fraud trial of Donald Trump issued a gag order barring the former president from publicly commenting about witnesses, counsel, court staff, and prospective or seated jurors in the case.
This came after Trump posted criticisms of the judge on social media, claiming bias and mentioning the judge’s daughter’s employment, as well as a separate case the judge oversaw.
“Judge Juan Merchan, a very distinguished looking man, is nevertheless a true and certified Trump Hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. In other words, he hates me! His daughter is a senior executive at a Super Liberal Democrat firm that works for Adam “Shifty” Schiff, the Democrat National Committee, (Dem)Senate Majority PAC, and even Crooked Joe Biden,” Trump wrote.
“He was recently the judge on an unrelated trial of a long term employee, elderly and not in good health. This judge treated him viciously, telling him either you cooperate or I’m putting you in jail for 15 years. He pled, and went to jail for very minor offenses, highly unusual, served 4 months in Rikers, and now they are after him again, this time for allegedly lying (doesn’t look like a lie to me!), and they threatened him again with 15 years if he doesn’t say something bad about ‘TRUMP.’ He is devastated and scared!”
“These COUNTRY DESTROYING SCOUNDRELS & THUGS HAVE NO CASE AGAINST ME. WITCH HUNT!”
The gag order aims to avoid pre-trial publicity that could prejudice the trial, where Trump faces charges related to alleged falsification of business records.
