The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Donna Robert
Former President Donald Trump says he will appeal a gag order that was reimposed Sunday by a federal judge overseeing his election interference case, arguing that it takes away his First Amendment rights.
“This order, according to many legal scholars, is unthinkable! It illegally and unconstitutionally takes away my First Amendment right of speech, in the middle of my campaign for President, where I am leading against BOTH parties in the polls,” he wrote on Truth Social. “Few can believe this is happening, but I will appeal.”
Mr. Trump called U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, a “very biased, Trump hating judge” for imposing the gag order. He said the order would put him at a “disadvantage against my prosecutorial and political opponents.”
“How can they tell the leading candidate that he, and only he, is seriously restricted from campaigning in a free and open manner? It will not stand!” he said.
The gag order stops Mr. Trump from publically speaking about certain witnesses and prosecutors involved in the case. It was originally issued earlier this month, but was temporarily lifted on Oct. 20 so Mr. Trump and his lawyers could appeal the ruling.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the case against Mr. Trump, requested the gag order, citing the former president’s comments on social media as undermining the case and endangering witnesses.
“The First Amendment rights of participants in criminal proceedings must yield, when necessary, to the orderly administration of justice,” Judge Chutkan wrote.
She also denied a request from Mr. Trump’s lawyers to extend the freeze on the gag order while a federal appeals court in Washington takes a look at it.
In another Truth Social post, Mr. Trump questioned why the cases were brought against him now.
“Why didn’t Crooked Joe Biden tell his Injustice Department to file the lawsuits and indictments against me 3 years ago, instead of right in the middle of my campaign for President? You’re setting a BAD precedent for yourself, Joe. The same can happen to you,” he wrote.
“These Third World Biden Indictments, which should never have been filed, would have been tried and over with years ago. My SleazeBag Opponent shouldn’t be able to do this during my campaign, OR BEFORE THE ELECTION!”
Mr. Trump also has a gag order imposed by the judge overseeing his civil fraud case in New York. He was fined $10,000 last week over a comment he made in a courthouse hallway about the judge and a clerk. Just days before he was fined $5,000 for having a social media post that violated the gag order still up on his campaign website.
