Akerman Comments On Trump Order
On Tuesday, New York Judge Juan Merchan issued an unprecedented gag order against former President Donald Trump following a request from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The gag order prohibits Trump from making public statements about witnesses, court staff, and prospective jurors in his hush money payments case. This is the third gag order imposed on Trump in recent months, a move that has sparked debate about the limits of the First Amendment.
According to Nick Akerman, a former Watergate prosecutor with over 50 years of experience in law, this gag order is highly unusual and unprecedented. He has never seen such an order imposed in his entire legal career. Akerman, who has worked both as a prosecutor and a defense lawyer, stated that disparaging the judge or court personnel could potentially harm Trump's chances of a fair trial, hence the need for a gag order.
In his public statements, Trump has strongly criticized Judge Merchan, calling the gag order "illegal, un-American, and unconstitutional." He accused the judge of trying to deprive him of his First Amendment right to speak out against the supposed weaponization of law enforcement. Trump even insinuated that the judge's decision was influenced by his daughter's work as the president of a political consulting firm.
According to the judge, Trump's previous "extrajudicial statements" have raised concerns about the administration of justice, thus necessitating the gag order. Merchan pointed out that Trump's statements during previous trials were inflammatory and threatening, and they targeted various individuals, including court and DA staff, jurors, and private individuals. This led to fear and increased security measures to protect the targeted individuals and their families.
The order prohibits Trump from making public statements or directing others to make statements about witnesses, court personnel, prospective jurors, and their families. This comes after Trump has made a pattern of denigrating and threatening judges, prosecutors, and witnesses involved in legal proceedings against him. These statements have been deemed as self-destructive and could potentially harm Trump's case.
Matt Whitaker, a former Acting U.S. Attorney General who served under Trump, has expressed concerns about the gag order, saying that it is dangerous and could potentially violate the First Amendment. He believes that the order is limiting the right to free speech, which is broad in its protection. However, he also acknowledges that the judge has to tread carefully in his decision.
Trump's lawyers have previously argued against gag orders, stating that they are unconstitutional and violate their client's right to free speech. However, this is not the first time a gag order has been imposed on Trump. In fact, this is the third time in recent months, showing a pattern of behavior by Trump that has led judges to believe that a gag order is necessary to protect the administration of justice in his cases.
The case in question involves hush money payments made to women who claimed to have had affairs with Trump before he became president. The Manhattan District Attorney's office is investigating these payments, and Trump has been openly critical of this investigation.
With the gag order in place, it remains to be seen how this will affect his public statements going forward and if it will have any impact on his case.