(TheRedWire.com) – On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner in the 2024 GOP primary claimed that the newly imposed gag order in the Jan. 6 federal case against him was taking away his “right to speak.”
The gag order was imposed by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan and it blocks Trump from making public statements that attack potential witnesses, the judge’s staff, and prosecutors.
Trump argued that his right to speech had been taken away from him with this order and that he was now a candidate in the presidential race who was no longer allowed to speak. He further alleged that this was the Department of Justice’s, and by extension the Biden administration’s attempt to railroad him in order to win the 2024 presidential election.
According to an NBC News report, the written order released by Chutkan acts as a limited gag order that blocks Trump from making statements that target anyone who could be considered as a possible witness as well as any testimony they have provided that could be viewed as having substance.
Chutkan pointed out that the argument of the defense that because Trump is currently in the middle of a political campaign does not hold and the cases they provide as evidence of this also do not hold. She further stated that the court has found that certain statements made by the Defendant pose sufficient “grave” threat to the proceedings which is why the only way of addressing them is through addressing these threats.
The gag order does include an exception for any comments made by Trump that are viewed as criticisms of other candidates in the presidential race who could be viewed as his “political rivals.”
A few days ago, Chutkan granted Trump’s request, lifting the gag order but also fining Trump $5000.
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