(ProsperNews.net) – The New York Court of Appeals has rejected Donald Trump’s latest attempt to overturn a gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the former President’s falsifying documents conviction. Merchan imposed the order to prevent Mr. Trump from speaking negatively about jurors, attorneys, witnesses, or their families, believing this put them at risk of retaliation by Trump supporters. Merchan rejected Mr. Trump’s previous filing to lift the order, prompting him to launch an appeal.
The Republican Presidential candidate’s attorneys argued that continuing the order restricted his ability to campaign for the White House and to freely debate President Biden. They also claimed the order breached Mr. Trump’s First Amendment rights.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, said, “The Gag Order wrongfully silences the leading candidate for President of the United States, President Trump, at the height of his campaign.”
The former President clashed with Judge Juan Merchan several times during his trial, with the Judge warning Trump he would jail him if he continued to make controversial statements outside the court. Merchan also handed down several $1,000 fines to Mr. Trump for order violations, saying his job is to protect the dignity of the judicial system by holding to account those who breach judicial orders.
Some commentators suggest that Trump intends to publicly portray Merchan and other officials as villains. Media reports indicate that he will attack the Judge at political rallies and lay the blame for his conviction at Merchan’s feet. The gag order does not apply to the Judge, and Trump has previously claimed that Merchan is “conflicted” due to his daughter’s work with Democrats.
His lawyers earlier asked the Judge to recuse himself from the case on bias grounds, but Merchan said he had searched his conscience and was confident he could oversee the trial with impartiality.
A jury convicted Mr. Trump on 34 counts, making him the first former US President to be convicted of a felony.
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