Judge Merchan ordered to strip Donald Trump of his constitutional right to free speech
The jury in the Trump Manhattan trial handed down the verdict. But the case isn’t over.
And now Judge Merchan has been given an order to strip Donald Trump of his right to free speech.
During the Manhattan “hush money” trial that saw a jury of 12 hand down a stunning guilty verdict for Donald Trump, the former president was slapped with gag order after gag order to prevent him from being able to discuss certain aspects of the case outside of the court room.
There were serious legality concerns surrounding these gag orders, mainly because they intersect with Donald Trump’s right to free speech. It was clear that Donald Trump wasn’t trying to harm anyone involved in the case like the jurors or the witnesses. So many believed the gag orders were just signals of sympathy for the case of the prosecution.
Even legal experts who are in no way shape or form fans of Donald Trump were pointing out that placing a gag order on him in this trial seemed unnecessary and only served to prove the point of those who believe that the trial is unfair and politically motivated.
But you can never underestimate the extremes to which the Democrats and their rogue government lackeys will go to ultimately get a dirty win over Donald Trump, like in this trial.
A prime example of this is what a top editor at The New York Times just said Judge Merchan should do to Donald Trump next after the jury handed down their verdict of the trial.
NYT’s Mara Gay: Trump Gag Order Still Necessary
In a recent segment on MSNBC’s Deadline: White House, Mara Gay of The New York Times highlighted the importance of maintaining the gag order imposed on former President Donald Trump by Judge Juan Merchan. The gag order, initially placed during Trump’s trial, prohibits the former president from making public statements about witnesses, prosecutors (excluding the district attorney), court staff, jurors, and their family members. This measure, Gay suggested, is crucial for safeguarding both jurors and the integrity of the democratic process.
“You have to protect jurors, you have to protect voters,” Gay emphasized during the discussion. “If we can’t do those two things in this moment, you can’t ask people to participate in democracy or to trust the process. So, this is a moment to throw everything that democracy has at this man.”
Despite the conclusion of Trump’s trial, the gag order remains in effect. Trump’s legal team has requested that Judge Merchan lift the restriction, but Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has argued for its continuation. Bragg’s office contends that the gag order should remain at least until Trump’s sentencing hearing in July and any subsequent post-trial motions are resolved.
MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann provided additional context, noting that the gag order does not entirely stifle Trump’s ability to make political statements against President Joe Biden and his administration. Instead, it focuses on protecting witnesses and jurors. “The gag order doesn’t prevent Donald Trump from making any and all political attacks against Joe Biden and his administration,” Weissmann said.
“What it is doing is protecting witnesses and jurors. The district attorney has asked for both sides to brief this issue, but they’re clearly going to take the position that you can’t tell witnesses and jurors, ‘hey we’re going to protect you just during the trial, but after the trial you’re on your own.’ The judge is not an idiot.”
MSNBC analyst John Heilemann echoed this sentiment, describing the idea of lifting the gag order as “absolutely bonkers.”
The panel also discussed the broader implications of the gag order on Trump’s activities, including his reelection campaign. In a humorous exchange, the panel recalled how the gag order would affect Trump’s performance in upcoming debates, where microphones will be silenced during the other candidate’s speaking time.
NBC News senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen remarked, “Donald Trump does have some experience with having his mic cut off. He’s been sitting in court and wanting very badly to respond to everything with his mic cut off.” This comment prompted laughter from the panelists, who speculated on how Trump might handle similar restrictions in a debate setting.
Truthfully, “journalists” like Mara Gay are just exposing their utter hatred for Donald Trump and how they want any and all action to be taken against him. To these radicals, it doesn’t matter if the action taken against the former president is fair in the slightest bit. All that matters is “orange man bad”, as the joke goes.
Check out the segment from MSNBC by clicking play on the video below:
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