District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Friday temporarily lifted the gag order she issued against former President Donald Trump earlier this week that prevented him from criticizing prosecutors, court staff or their families.
Chutkan, who is overseeing the 77-year-old former president’s 2020 election interference case, suspended the partial gag order, which also prohibited Trump from speaking about potential witnesses or testimony, to give his defense team and the Justice Department more time. to file the complaint. writings related to the 2024 Republican presidential candidate’s request for an extended pause on the order.
“Upon consideration of Respondent’s rejected Motion 110 for Stay Pending Appeal, Request for Temporary Administrative Stay, and Supporting Memorandum, it is hereby ORDERED that the court’s Opinion and Order 105 be administratively SUSPENDED to allow for the filing information of the parties and the court’s consideration of the Respondent’s decision. Motion,” Chutkan, 61, wrote in a brief report.
Chutkan temporarily lifted the partial gag order, which prevented Trump from criticizing prosecutors, court staff or their families. AP
Additionally, he ordered that special counsel Jack Smith’s team file any opposition to Trump’s motion for an extended stay of the gag order by Oct. 25, and that Trump’s team respond by Oct. 28.
Trump’s lawyers appealed the gag order to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.
On Friday, they urged Chutkan to freeze the order while the appeal process plays out.
“No court in the history of the United States has imposed a gag order on a criminal defendant who is campaigning for public office, let alone the leading candidate for president of the United States,” Trump’s lawyers argued in their motion. .
Trump was fined $5,000 on Friday for violating a gag order at his civil fraud trial in New York. AFP via Getty Images
Under the partial gag order, all parties in the case are prohibited from making statements that “point to (1) the special prosecutor prosecuting this case or his staff; (2) defense attorney or his staff; (3) any member of this court staff or other support staff; or (4) any reasonably foreseeable witness or the substance of his or her testimony.”
Chutkan indicated to the court that Trump can still widely criticize the Justice Department and suggest that the case against him is politically motivated.
Trump’s trial in the case is scheduled for March 4, 2024, one day before the Super Tuesday presidential primaries. His team has tried, without success, to delay the start date.
Chutkan’s suspension was issued the same day Trump was fined $5,000 for violating a gag order in his civil fraud trial in New York.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the $250 million civil fraud trial against the former president and the Trump Organization, issued the gag order on Oct. 3 after Trump attacked Engoron’s secretary in a Truth Social post.
The offending post was removed from the social media platform but remained on the Trump campaign site, prompting Engoron to impose the fine.
Engoron warned that a future violation could result in “much harsher sanctions,” including “possibly imprisonment” for Trump.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn