27-2-2024 (NEW YORK) Prosecutors in Manhattan have formally requested a gag order to prevent former President Donald Trump from publicly commenting on witnesses and disclosing jurors’ identities during his trial involving hush money paid to a porn star. The court filings, made public on February 26, outlined concerns about Trump’s history of attacking individuals involved in legal proceedings against him.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, in the filing, highlighted Trump’s “longstanding history of attacking witnesses, investigators, prosecutors, judges, and others involved in legal proceedings against him.” Trump, who is facing four criminal cases, is set to go on trial in state court in Manhattan on March 25, charged with falsifying business records related to hush money paid to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
The prosecutors argued that a gag order is necessary to prevent witness intimidation and to protect jurors and court staff from potential threats. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of covering up a $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep her silent about an alleged sexual encounter a decade earlier.
A Trump campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, claimed that a gag order would infringe on Trump’s right to free speech and labeled it as “election interference.” Trump, aiming to regain the presidency in the upcoming election, has denied any wrongdoing.
If approved by Justice Juan Merchan, the gag order would prohibit Trump from making statements about witnesses and commenting on prosecutors, except for Alvin Bragg. Additionally, the District Attorney’s office requested that Trump be barred from commenting on court staff. Prosecutors also suggested referring to jurors only by number in open court to protect their identities.
This request comes after a federal judge imposed similar restrictions in 2023 in Trump’s criminal case related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. In a separate filing, prosecutors mentioned that Trump’s staff, concerned about his standing with female voters after the Access Hollywood tape release in 2005, executed the hush money payment as part of a broader “catch-and-kill” scheme.
The prosecutors asked that the tape be admitted as evidence, emphasizing its relevance to understanding the motivation behind the Daniels non-disclosure agreement. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, pleaded guilty in 2018 to violating federal campaign finance laws with the payment to Daniels. Cohen spent over a year in prison.
