Special counsel Jack Smith has implored a judge to revive the partial gag order in the federal election interference case against Donald Trump, citing the former president’s “threatening” social media posts about the former House chief of staff. Blanca, Mark Meadows.
Smith’s team argued in a document filed late Wednesday that Trump, 77, is taking advantage of a suspension of the gag order “to send an unambiguous message to a foreseeable witness in this case… knowing that would get to him.”
On Tuesday, Trump attacked his former ally in a tirade against Truth Social after it was reported that Meadows had reached a deal with prosecutors granting him immunity in exchange for his testimony in the case.
“Some people would make that deal, but they are weak and cowardly, and very bad for the future of our failed nation. I don’t think Mark Meadows is one of them, but who really knows? Trump wrote.
Washington DC federal court Judge Tanya Chutkan suspended the gag order she imposed in the case last Monday after Trump’s legal team appealed.
The order would prohibit Trump from attacking prosecutors, court staff or their families, or discussing potential witnesses or testimony in the case.
Donald Trump criticized his former White House chief of staff following reports that he had reached an immunity deal.Getty Images
But Trump seized the opportunity as the appeal unfolds, prosecutors said.
Earlier this week, he lashed out at Anthony Pratt, an Australian billionaire and likely witness in the separate classified documents case, calling him a “red-headed weirdo,” and also criticized Smith, calling him “unhinged.”
The former president’s tirade against Meadows came on the heels of an ABC report Tuesday that the former chief of staff told prosecutors that he had informed Trump that his allegations of widespread fraud in the 2020 election were baseless.
Meadows was granted immunity for his testimony, according to the report.
Prosecutors neither confirmed nor denied the ABC story in their filing Wednesday.
Mark Meadows has enormous behind-the-scenes insights into Donald Trump’s machinations surrounding the 2020 election. AFP via Getty Images
The 32-page document from Smith’s team cited a half-dozen posts from Trump’s Truth Social, including the one about Meadows.
“I do not believe Mark Meadows lied about the rigged and stolen 2020 presidential election simply to gain IMMUNITY from prosecution (PROSECUTION!) by deranged prosecutor Jack Smith,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“BUT, when you really think about it, after being chased like a dog for three years, being told you’re going to jail for the rest of your life, your money and your family will be gone forever, and we’re not interested in exposing those who committed the MASTERING,” Trump added.
Prosecutors also pointed to a post in which Trump mused that the government sought to “silence” me and make it “impossible for me to criticize those they are silencing, namely corrupt Joe Biden, and his corrupt and armed Department of Justice and FBI.” ”.
“It is instructive to examine the scope of the Order in light of the things the defendant claims he needs to be able to say in order to defend himself and run for office,” Smith’s team wrote before referencing the Truth Social post.
“The Order, however, leaves him completely free to do those things. You can criticize the sitting president and the Department of Justice. In fact, he did so freely while the Order was in force.”
Judge Tanya Chutkan claims she has been subjected to racist and violent threats. AP
Trump’s legal team is bringing a First Amendment challenge to the partial gag order, arguing that it undermines his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
“The present impeachment is of enormous public concern and a central issue in the upcoming election,” Trump’s lawyers wrote last week.
“Therefore, President Trump’s views on the prosecution, the government officials pursuing him, and the witnesses against him are fundamental political statements that deserve the highest degree of deference.”
The former president also gained some support from the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed a petition in support of his attempt to overturn the partial gag order.
Prosecutors have insisted that the order was “narrowly tailored” and emphasized that without it, “selective disparagement of this kind by Trump may pose a real danger.”
“However, what the defendant is fighting for here is the right to go far beyond these types of measures to be able to continue using derogatory and inflammatory language that would never be included in a court file, such as ‘fraud,’ ‘piracy.’ , ‘ and ‘thug,’” they wrote.
Jack Smith leads the Justice Department’s two cases against Donald Trump for alleged hoarding of classified documents and subversion in the 2020 elections.AP
The case of the 2020 elections is not the only one in which Trump’s mouth has gotten him into trouble.
On Wednesday, during an appearance in the sprawling $250 million civil fraud case, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to forfeit $10,000 for violating a partial gag order by allegedly publicly disparaging a court employee during your appearance.
“Is this judge a very partisan judge with a very partisan person sitting next to him?” Trump told television cameras outside the courtroom.
Engoron later called Trump to the stand and asked who he was referring to.
Trump responded that he was talking about his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who testified that day.
But the judge did not believe Trump and imposed the fine.
Donald Trump has appeared repeatedly in Manhattan court this month to hear the civil fraud case against him. Steven Hirsch for the NYPost
The Post reached out to Trump’s legal team for comment on the Smith team’s recent filing.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all four charges in that case on August 3.
That trial is scheduled for March 4, 2024, just one day before the Super Tuesday presidential primaries.
Trump’s team has tried, unsuccessfully, to delay the start date
Donald Trump insists he did nothing wrong. He is the first former or current president to face criminal charges. Matthew McDermott
The 2024 GOP front-runner also faces a 34-count case in Manhattan for allegedly concealing hush money payments, a 40-count indictment of Smith for allegedly hoarding a tranche of national security documents and 13 counts of alleged subversion election in Georgia. .
Trump has strenuously denied wrongdoing in all cases pending against him and has called his mounting legal troubles a “witch hunt” and election interference.
His attorneys are expected to respond to Smith’s team in a filing.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn