Trump Refuses To Give Up His Freedom of Speech

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

(TheRedWire.com) – In the ongoing legal saga involving Donald Trump’s New York fraud case, a recent development indicates that the former president has not been deterred by the gag order imposed on him. Trump, while managing to stay within the legal boundaries of the order, continues to make contentious remarks regarding the case.

In a recent post on his Truth Social platform, Trump reiterated his belief that the civil fraud case initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James is a “rigged trial.” He also directed criticism towards Judge Arthur Engoron, accusing him of bending to Letitia’s wishes. The lawsuit Trump is facing is a substantial $250 million claim, with James alleging that Trump misrepresented the value of his business assets on financial documents to secure more favorable terms.

In his post, Trump characterized the trial as a “giant Democrat Scam” and questioned the impartiality of Judge Engoron, insinuating that he complies with Letitia’s demands. He also expressed disdain for the judge’s refusal to acknowledge decisions made by the Court of Appeals, which he believed showed disrespect to the higher court.

Furthermore, Trump raised concerns about businesses leaving New York due to the ongoing trial, suggesting that it is causing them to relocate elsewhere.

Notably, Judge Engoron had imposed a limited gag order on Trump earlier in response to a post where Trump made unverified claims about one of the judge’s staff members. This order aimed to curb personal attacks on court staff but did not extend to what could be publicly said about the judge or the New York attorney general.

This development follows a pattern where Trump’s social media activity has led to restrictions in various legal cases. For instance, a partial gag order was enacted by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Trump’s federal election interference case, limiting public statements that target Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, defense counsel, court staff, or foreseeable witnesses.

Trump’s legal team has contested these gag orders on the grounds of free speech rights, and he has vowed to appeal them, creating an ongoing legal battle within the broader context of his legal challenges.

The gag order on Trump was lifted a few days ago for the time being, however, he was also fined $5,000.

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