The Democrats are pulling out all of the tricks to bring down Donald Trump. But this crosses a line that should never be crossed.
And Trump was smacked with a disturbing legal threat in court.
As former President Trump tries to campaign for his bid to become the Republican nominee in 2024, Democrats are throwing everything at the wall to stop him.
They think if they can tie him up with legal paperwork and appearances, they’ll be able to just edge out a victory should he be the nominee in 2024.
Now they’re threatening Trump with an even worse punishment.
Former President Donald Trump was warned Tuesday that he might face sanctions if he violates a court order prohibiting him from publicly discussing evidence in his “hush money” criminal case, which will go to trial next year.
Trump, 76, could be seen crossing his arms and shaking his head in the courtroom as Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan read out the March 25, 2024 trial date.
When Merchan inquired if he had a copy of the May 8 protection order, which prohibits Trump from divulging evidence provided over to him and his defense team by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, Trump just said “I do.”
“Violations could result in sanctions. There are a wide range of sanctions and could include up to a finding of contempt,” Merchan said during the brief hearing.
Trump, dressed in a navy suit, white shirt, and red, white, and blue striped tie, sat behind a table with his attorney Todd Blanche, with two US flags hanging diagonally in the backdrop.
Blanche said the former president was “very much concerned that his First Amendment rights are being violated” by the rules, and asked Merchan to clarify whether they amounted to “a gag order.”
The court assured Blanche that his guidelines were not intended to restrict Trump’s freedom of expression, noting, “It is certainly not a gag order.”
“It is certainly not my intention in any way to impede his right to campaign for president of the United States. He’s free to do just about anything that doesn’t violate the terms of this protective order.”
In addition to not publicly discussing or revealing sensitive materials from the case on social media, the order states that Trump may only see the evidence in the company of his lawyers.
Trump is permitted to disclose information that is already public, as well as the majority of evidence obtained from his camp.
In April, Trump was charged with falsifying business records related to “catch-and-kill” payments made to former adult star Stormy Daniels and ex-playboy model Karen McDougal in the run-up to the 2016 election, in an alleged attempt to buy their silence over claims they had affairs with the then-presidential candidate.
He has entered a not-guilty plea.
Prosecutors in Bragg’s office requested the protective order, noting Trump’s history of social media assaults and arguing that it was necessary to safeguard witnesses from potential harassment.
In a May 16 motion, the prosecutors said that they would only send over the “millions of pages of discovery” to Trump’s team after he had “been advised on the record of the terms and content of, and conduct prohibited by, the protective order entered by this court.”
The case’s next court appearance is scheduled for January 4, 2024.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
