U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected the Department of Justice’s request to enforce a gag order against Donald Trump about his election interference case, as reported by Newsweek.
In a footnote reinstating the gag order, she declined to incorporate it into the former president’s conditions of release.
Judge Chutkan ruled to lift the temporary hold she had placed on her initial gag order, citing the right to a fair trial as belonging not only to former President Trump but also to the government and public.
The judge also denied Trump’s request for a long-term stay of the order while his appeal is in process. Michael McAuliffe, a former federal prosecutor and elected state attorney, suggested that Judge Chutkan’s decision was likely made with careful consideration due to the high level of scrutiny surrounding this case.
Earlier this month, Chutkan temporarily froze the gag order she previously issued against the 45th president “to give the parties more time to brief her on the former president’s request to pause the order while his appeal of it plays out,” CNN reported at the time.
The outlet added: “Chutkan also said that the Justice Department has until Wednesday to respond to Trump’s request for a longer pause on the gag order and that Trump would have until the following Saturday to reply to the government’s filing. Trump has already appealed the gag order to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals and in a 33-page filing on Friday, his attorneys urged Chutkan to pause the order while that appeal plays out.”
“Trump has already appealed the gag order to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, and in a 33-page filing on Friday, his attorneys urged Chutkan to pause the order while that appeal plays out,” CNN reported.
Following her reinstatement of the policy on Sunday, President Trump expressed his displeasure with it via his Truth Social platform.
“I have just learned that the very Biased, Trump Hating Judge in D.C., who should have RECUSED herself due to her blatant and open loathing of your favorite President, ME, has reimposed a GAG ORDER which will put me at a disadvantage against my prosecutorial and political opponents,” he wrote.
“This order, according to many legal scholars, is unthinkable! It illegally and unconstitutionally takes away my First Amendment Right of Free Speech, in the middle of my campaign for President, where I am leading against BOTH Parties in the Polls,” he added.
“Few can believe this is happening, but I will appeal. 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 continued.
He added later: “The Obama appointed Federal Judge in D.C, a TRUE TRUMP HATER, is incapable of giving me a fair trial. Her Hatred of President DONALD J. TRUMP is so great that she has been diagnosed with a major, and incurable, case of TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME!!!”
Axios added: “Prosecutors had argued that a gag order was necessary to protect the integrity of judicial proceedings, but Trump’s lawyers said it would violate his right to free speech and restrict his 2024 campaign.”
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