Trump’s Latest Attempt to Kill Gag Order Crashes and Burns
DENIED AGAIN
Former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his hush money trial’s gag order was rejected by New York’s highest court, leaving the restrictions in place. “Appeal dismissed without costs, by the Court sua sponte, upon the ground that no substantial constitutional question is directly involved,” the New York Court of Appeals said in a brief statement on Thursday. New York Supreme Court Justice Juan M. Merchan imposed the order on March 26 after Trump used social media to disparage the judge and his daughter. The Court of Appeals previously upheld Merchan’s gag order in June on grounds of “no substantial constitutional question” involved. Later, Merchan altered the gag order after Trump’s conviction, allowing him to talk about witnesses and jurors—but not reveal their identities. Still, Trump was barred from speaking about the court and prosecutors. The Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung told Reuters the former president will “continue to fight against the unconstitutional Witch Hunts and Gag Orders.”