Donald Trump’s lawyers asked on Monday to pause the gag order in his civil fraud trial in New York, arguing that while the daily threats against the judge and his secretary are “vile,” they do not justify limiting the former president’s right to freedom of expression.
The stakes are even higher because Trump, as the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, must be able to “criticize, without fear of reprisal, the court presiding over” the historic bench trial against him, the lawyers said. he wrote in a file.
The Trump team’s presentation came after a lawyer for Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron argued last week that the limited gag order should remain in effect because of a “flurry” of threats made against him. judge and his chief law clerk, Allison Greenfield.
Trump, 77, scored a victory when a New York appeals judge earlier this month temporarily lifted the gag order, which Engoron implemented on Oct. 3, citing concerns about the former president’s right to free speech.
Engoron had ruled that Trump and his lawyers could not comment publicly on court staff after the real estate mogul posted a photo of Greenfield with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), falsely calling her “the Schumer’s girlfriend” and saying that he was prosecuting the case against him.
Donald Trump’s lawyers argued Monday that the daily threats a judge and his clerk have been receiving, while “vile,” do not justify limiting Trump’s right to free speech. Steven Hirsch
Trump’s side filed an appeal to lift both the gag order and the $15,000 fines Engoron imposed on him after finding he had twice violated the ruling by publicly commenting on Greenfield.
Greenfield has repeatedly made headlines since Trump’s initial charge and, as her attorneys have claimed several times, she was co-judging with Engoron, as she could be seen sitting next to the judge throughout the eight-week trial, whispering to him. ear and passing notes. .
Because of the attention the Trump camp has placed on the secretary, her personal cell phone number and email address have been “compromised,” due to “daily doxing,” according to an affidavit filed Wednesday by Capt. Charles Hollon, court officer, before the Judicial Threat Assessment. Unit.
“She has been subjected to daily harassment, derogatory comments, and anti-Semitic tropes,” Hollon wrote, noting that Greenfield receives 20 to 30 calls and 30 to 50 messages on social media daily.
“The threats against Judge Engoron and Ms. Greenfield are considered serious and credible and not hypothetical or speculative,” Hollon wrote.
Judge Arthur Engoron in October issued a limited gag order barring the former president from speaking publicly about the judge’s staff.
In their filing Monday, Trump’s lawyers asserted that Greenfield “allowed herself to be photographed, videotaped, and voluntarily identified by name in national and international media, despite the prior existence of alleged security concerns.”
The lawyers wrote that the threats, “while vile and reprehensible, do not constitute a clear and present danger of imminent harm,” according to documents filed with an appeals court Monday morning.
The discussion over the gag order came as the trial continued into its ninth week in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Since Trump made comments about the judge’s clerk, she and the judge have received a “barrage” of threats. Alec Tabak
Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise, revealed in court on Monday that the former president will return to the stand as the defense’s final witness on December 11.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and a defendant in the case, will also testify for a second time, on Dec. 6, Kise said.
The New York Attorney General’s Office, which is handling the case, declined to comment on the filing.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn