Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the gag order imposed on him before his criminal trial in New York is vicious, illegal and un-American.
Judge Juan Merchan muzzled Mr. Trump as the former president faces trial in mid-April on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The order prohibits Mr. Trump from making public statements about possible witnesses, court staffers and any prosecutor other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“This Judge, by issuing a vicious ‘Gag Order,’ is wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement, including the fact that Crooked Joe Biden, [Attorney General] Merrick Garland, and their Hacks and Thugs are tracking and following me all across the Country, obsessively trying to persecute me, while everyone knows I have done nothing wrong!” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The gag order is similar to ones imposed in a pending federal criminal case against Mr. Trump and in New York Attorney Letitia James’ civil case accusing the Trump Organization of financial fraud.
The criminal indictment alleges Mr. Trump funneled money through his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to conceal hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and two others.
Ms. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, says she had a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump nearly two decades ago.
The former president says the affair never happened. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mr. Trump, who is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, said the judge is biased against him, suffering from “an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome” and should recuse himself from the case immediately.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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