Former President Trump complained Wednesday about the gag order that limited him from attacking witnesses, jurors and court staff in his New York money hush case, calling it unfair that others could speak while he could not.
“It feels really bad to have your constitutional right to free speech, such an important part of life in our country, so unfairly taken from you, especially when all the scumbags, scoundrels and crooks you oppose are allowed to say absolutely anything they want,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“It’s hard to sit back and listen to lies and false statements made against you, knowing that if you respond in even the most modest way, a Corrupt and Highly Confrontational Judge will tell you that you will be PUT IN PRISON, perhaps for a long period of time,” he added, claiming the gag order was part of a “sophisticated scam” coming from the White House.
There is no evidence that the Biden White House had any involvement in Trump’s legal proceedings.
The gag order in the gag case prevents Trump from hurling insults at witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff and the judge’s family. That doesn’t stop him from attacking Judge Juan Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), both of whom Trump rails against on a daily basis.
Trump has criticized the restrictions, saying they violate his First Amendment rights to respond to political attacks, which he says he should have the right to do as the presumptive Republican nominee for president in the November election.
Merchan fined Trump for 10 separate violations of the gag order totaling $10,000, and this week he warned that further violations could warrant incarceration. Trump told reporters he would be willing to go to prison for violating the gag order.
“This judge gave me a gag order and said you will go to jail if you violate the order,” he told reporters on Monday. “And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than prison. It’s not even close. I’ll make that sacrifice any day.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
