Politics'This Never Happens': Donald Trump's 'Outrageous' New York Gag Order Criticized by Former Watergate Prosecutor
Former President Donald Trump faces a gag order issued by New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. Now, an unlikely ally has come forward to criticize the judge's decision in the campaign finance case.
Donald Trump was issued yet another gag order.
The order relates to Trump's criminal trial concerning alleged hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman, on Wednesday, March 27, called the gag order against the former president "so unusual," claiming that it "never happens."
Donald Trump is facing charges related to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
"In over 50 years of law practice, both as a prosecutor [and] a defense lawyer, it's not done. And the reason it's not done is because once you start disparaging the judge, disparaging people in the courtroom, you're putting yourself in harm's way because that's the judge who's gonna sentence you. It's the judge who can send you to jail or give you probation," Akerman said.
"Donald Trump is the only one I've ever seen do this and do it in such an outrageous way," Akerman added, claiming that Trump is forcing the courts to "deal with where does the First Amendment stop and where do we need a gag order in order to protect the judicial system."
A Watergate prosecutor defended Donald Trump.
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The gag order was issued on March 26, right after Trump's verbal attack on Judge Merchan and his daughter on Truth Social, an online platform.
Trump posted, "Judge Juan Merchan, a very distinguished looking man, is nevertheless a true and certified Trump Hater who suffers from a very serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome ... His daughter is a senior executive at a Super Liberal Democrat firm that works for Adam 'Shifty' Schiff, the Democrat National Committee, (Dem)Senate Majority PAC, and even Crooked Joe Biden."
The order prohibits Trump from publicly criticizing or communicating with various individuals involved in the case, including potential witnesses and jurors.
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Donald Trump currently faces 91 criminal charges.
Former assistant U.S. attorney and frequent Trump critic Glenn Kirschner responded to the gag order on social media, posting, "First of all, I applaud any gag order that is put in place that is designed to shut Donald Trump up, specifically to stop him from endangering everybody who is involved in the endeavor of trying to hold Donald Trump accountable for his crimes."
"Donald Trump is endlessly endangering witnesses and their family members, jurors, prosecutors and their family members, members of the court and the court staff," he continued. "And it is beyond me why we continue to sacrifice the safety of everybody involved in trying to hold Donald Trump accountable for his crimes instead of holding Donald Trump accountable for his endlessly dangerous, violence-inspiring rhetoric."
Newsweek provided quotes and sources used in this article.
