USA
Threats against witnesses and lawyers: prosecutors request a protective order against Donald Trump
STORY: Former US President Donald Trump wrote on his online platform “Truth Social” on Friday, just a day after reading out another indictment against him in Washington: “If you follow me, then I will follow you. This statement now has legal consequences. Because, according to special counsel Jack Smith, these words are directed against witnesses, judges and lawyers involved in the criminal proceedings surrounding attempted voter fraud and the storming of the US Capitol. A special counsel motion filed with the court said there was a risk Trump could use evidence he has to intimidate witnesses. The responsible judge therefore ordered on Saturday that Trump must comment on this by Monday. According to Trump, the prosecution against him is purely politically motivated. He considers himself innocent and keeps making fun of Special Counsel Jack Smith.
A social media post by Donald Trump after his court date has legal consequences. Special Counsel Jack Smith accuses him of threatening witnesses, judges and attorneys.
In the case against ex-US President Donald Trump for anti-democratic conspiracy, the public prosecutor’s office interpreted the Republican’s recent statements as threats and requested a protective order from the court. Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a request to restrict Trump’s ability to disclose sensitive information, such as that related to witnesses. However, a Trump spokesman said Trump’s alleged threat referred to “political opponents”.
Trump wrote in capital letters on the online service he founded, Truth Social, after Thursday’s hearing about his role in the storming of the Capitol and his attempts to reverse his defeat in the 2020 presidential election: “If you follow me, I will follow you. ” Smith saw this as a threat to justice.
The judge had explicitly pointed out not to intimidate any witnesses
In this case, an order is “particularly important because the defendant has previously made public statements on social media about witnesses, judges, lawyers and other people associated with the legal matters (…),” the application said Public prosecutor. Smith also justified the request with the “improper disclosure or use of information”.
Judge Tanya Chutkan then ordered Trump to comment on Smith’s motion by Monday afternoon.
As expected, the former US President pleaded not guilty at his indictment hearing in Washington on Thursday. Trump then repeated his allegations that he was being “persecuted” for political reasons.
Trump’s subsequent post on Truth Social also ignored Judge Moxila Upadhyaya’s explicit warning to intimidate witnesses or obstruct justice. Any attempt to influence is a “crime,” the judge said to Trump, according to US media reports.
accusation of conspiracy
Donald Trump appears in court again this time – and pleads “not guilty”
Meanwhile, the 77-year-old’s campaign team tried to downplay his recent online entry. The currently most promising Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election was referring to his political opponents and not to those involved in the ongoing trial against him for alleged election interference. Rather, Trump’s statement was “political speech,” said a Trump spokesman on Saturday.
Trump continues to rail against the US judiciary
During an election campaign appearance in South Carolina on Saturday evening, Trump announced a thorough cleanup of the “now completely corrupt” Department of Justice if he won the election. He described special counsel Smith as a “maniac” during the appearance.
If he is re-elected president, he will appoint his own special prosecutor to “punish all crooked acts, including bribes (…) flowing into the coffers of the Biden crime family.”
Shortly before his hearing on Thursday, Trump accused President Joe Biden and the US Democrats of using the judiciary as a “weapon” against him. Trump told Truth Social that numerous charges should force him to spend time and money on legal proceedings instead of campaigning.
The 45-page indictment against Trump for storming the US Capitol was released on Tuesday. In it, special counsel Jack Smith accuses him of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. On January 6, 2021, radical Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in Washington when Democrat Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election was to be confirmed there. Shortly before, Trump had called on his supporters to march to the Capitol and fight “whatever the hell”. Five people were killed in the attack on the Capitol.