Lawyers for former U.S. President Donald Trump (2017-2021) asked the judge presiding over his criminal case in New York to vacate the gag order imposed on him, because the trial has already concluded, it was learned Tuesday.
Trump’s defense sent a letter to Judge Juan Merchan to request that the gag order requested by the prosecution and that prohibited him from talking about prosecutors, witnesses, jurors or court employees or their relatives “to protect the integrity of this criminal proceeding and avoid prejudice to the jury” be rescinded.
The letter stated that “now that the trial has concluded, the concerns expressed by the Government and the Court do not justify continued restrictions on the First Amendment rights of President Trump, who remains the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election, and the American people.”
The trial for altering documents from his company to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels and protect his 2016 presidential run, for which he faced 34 charges, ended last week with a guilty verdict. Sentencing will be known next July 11.
Trump and his lawyers tried to have the gag order vacated during the trial, but failed, and now, now over, have reiterated their claim.
The Republican White House hopeful, who was obliged to attend the trial, did not miss the opportunity to criticize the order, claiming that it violated his right to free speech and that he had to remain in New York in the middle of the electoral campaign with which he intends to return to the presidency.
The request to the Court comes at a time when both Trump and the president and Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, are preparing to face each other in a unique debate in the face of the elections on November 5, and after several witnesses have commented on the judicial process, according to the letter from the Republican’s lawyers, sent on Monday and whose content was known on Tuesday.