The state of Missouri is intervening in New York’s criminal prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to delay Mr. Trump’s sentencing until after the presidential election and to lift all gag orders on him.
Mr. Bailey’s lawsuit claims, according to an Axios report Wednesday, that New York’s “illicit prosecution, gag order, and sentencing” is preventing Missouri citizens from hearing from Mr. Trump’s campaign.
“When President Trump is tethered to a courtroom in New York due to a rogue prosecutor in a collusive judiciary, then Missourians are denied access to that candidate,” Mr. Bailey told Axios.
He particularly took aim at Justice Juan Merchan’s orders preventing Mr. Trump from commenting freely on the trial and those involved in it, which he claims is a Democratic/deep-state conspiracy to monopolize power, a major issue for his campaign.
“Our First Amendment right to hear from that candidate was additionally violated by the gag order that was put in place,” Mr. Bailey said.
Mr. Trump’s sentencing, which originally was scheduled for next week, has already been delayed by Justice Merchan until Sept. 18 because of last week’s Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity and “official” actions. The judge wishes to evaluate what impact that has on this case.
Mr. Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of filing false financial statements to cover up hush money paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels.
Lawsuits by one state against another are filed directly with the Supreme Court as the court of original jurisdiction.
“Whether the Supreme Court will even consider the case is unclear,” Axios wrote.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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