Former U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his intent to appeal the reinstated gag orders in his ongoing New York civil fraud case, as per a recent court filing.
What Happened: The court documents released on Monday reveal that Trump is eager to challenge the decision of reinstating the gag orders in his case to the state’s highest court. The initial news was reported by Reuters on Saturday.
Justice Arthur Engoron had first imposed a gag order on Trump on October 3, barring him from publicly discussing court staff. This was a response to Trump’s false social media claim about the judge’s top law clerk, which led to multiple threats from his supporters.
An appeals court judge temporarily paused the gag orders on November 16, but they were reinstated last Thursday by a mid-level state appeals court. Justice Engoron has already imposed a $15,000 fine on Trump for two previous violations of the gag order and warned of more severe penalties for future violations.
In the latest filing, Trump’s attorney, Clifford Robert, has asked the Appellate Division to permit Trump to appeal the reinstatement of the orders to the Albany-based Court of Appeals. Robert argued that the orders infringe upon Trump’s First Amendment rights, violating the U.S. and New York state Constitutions.
The trial against Trump, who is considered a frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, revolves around allegations of fraudulently inflating his net worth by billions to mislead lenders and insurers. The primary focus of the trial is on damages, as Justice Engoron has already declared Trump’s financial statements fraudulent.
Why It Matters: Trump reportedly maligned court staff on social media, which has been a stated factor in the imposition and reinstatement of the gag orders.
Earlier it was reported that Trump made disparaging remarks about Judge Engoron's wife and his law clerk.
According to a previous report, Trump continued to berate Judge Engoron even after being fined by the court. His niece, Mary Trump warned, warned of his potential to violate the orders due to his “massive ego and zero self-control.”
Photo by Lev Radin on Shutterstock
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