Former President Donald Trump has found himself in hot water once again after being slapped with an expanded gag order by New York Justice Juan Merchan.
In the ongoing hush money case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged affair with porn actress Stormy Daniels.
This move by Merchan comes after Trump’s recent social media posts targeting the judge’s daughter, Loren, who has ties to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris through her work at a leftist political consulting firm.
In a five-page ruling, Merchan scolded Trump for his posts, stating that they “inject fear” in those involved in the proceedings and are “dangerous rhetoric.” This decision expands the initial gag order that restricted Trump’s ability to speak out about witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors in the case.
However, the initial order did not apply to Trump or his family, which Trump took advantage of by attacking the judge and his daughter on the newly launched Truth Social platform.
Trump’s legal team argued that the First Amendment protects his social media posts and are necessary to address the “conflicts and corruption taking place” in the courtroom. However, Merchan dismissed these arguments as “farcical” and stated that Trump’s posts are “unacceptable in the current environment.”
In response to the expanded gag order, Trump took to Truth Social to denounce Merchan and call for his recusal from the case. He also accused Merchan of interfering in the election by silencing him while allowing others to speak out against him.
“I just was informed that another corrupt New York Judge, Juan Merchan, GAGGED me so that I can not talk about the corruption and conflicts taking place in his courtroom with respect to a case that everyone, including the D.A., felt should never have been brought,” Trump said. “They can talk about me, but I can’t talk about them??? That sounds fair, doesn’t it? This Judge should be recused, and the case should be thrown out. There has virtually never been a more conflicted judge than this one. ELECTION INTERFERENCE at its worst!”
This latest development in the hush money case only adds to the ongoing legal battles faced by the former president. It also highlights the continuing divide between Trump and the New York judicial system, with Merchan’s political donations to Biden’s campaign raising questions about his impartiality in the case.
Critics argue that the expanded gag order violates Trump’s First Amendment rights and is an attempt to silence him from speaking out against the corruption he believes is happening in the courtroom. However, supporters of the judge’s decision argue that Trump’s posts are inflammatory and could potentially intimidate those involved in the case.
As the case is set to begin on April 15, all eyes will be on New York Justice Juan Merchan and his handling of the highly publicized hush-money case against former President Donald Trump.
