A day after New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan held a hearing regarding former President Donald Trump’s bid to delay or dismiss the “hush money” case against him, the judge issued a gag order on the candidate.
“Given that the eve of the trial is upon us, it is without question that the imminency of the risk of harm is now paramount,” the judge wrote.
Judge Merchan had said in a hearing last year that he would not be entering a gag order at the time, but the order comes after two other courts have issued gag orders on President Trump that have been upheld by appeals panels.
Specifically, President Trump will be prohibited from making statements or directing others to make public statements about known or likely witnesses in relation to the case, jurors or prospective jurors, members of court and district attorney staff, and family members of counsel or staff “if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with … counsel’s or staff’s work in this criminal case, or with the knowledge that such interference is likely to result.”
The order is modeled after another gag order on President Trump, though the prohibition on statements about “prospective jurors” appears to be broader than previous orders.