The judge in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial for hidden payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels imposed speaking restrictions on him on Tuesday. This decision by Judge Juan Merchan, who will preside over the proceedings at the trial of the ex-president, starting April 15, follows a request presented in February by the prosecutor, Alvin Bragg.
It calls on Donald Trump to refrain from public comments targeting “known or likely witnesses” at the trial, members of the prosecutor’s team with the exception of the latter, members of their family, as well as “any juror or putative juror in this criminal proceeding.” This decision was announced a few hours after publications by the Republican candidate for the November presidential election on his Truth Social network attacking the magistrate and his daughter.
Accusations of collusion
Donald Trump accused Juan Merchan of “hating” him, believing that he should recuse himself because he could not guarantee him “a fair trial”. He added that the judge’s daughter worked for a company employed by the Democratic representative to the House of Representatives Adam Schiff, one of his fiercest opponents in Congress.
Without directly citing the publications he is targeting, Judge Merchan mentions “statements targeting this court and a member of the latter’s family, the prosecutor and a deputy prosecutor, the witnesses in this case” and recalls his attacks in d other trials which led to similar decisions.
Not the first time
Donald Trump is under restrictions on speaking about his federal trial in Washington on charges of illegal maneuvering to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The restrictions include prosecutors (with the exception of the special counsel Jack Smith who is investigating the case), court staff, and witnesses.
During his civil trial in New York for financial fraud within his real estate empire, the Trump Organization, Judge Arthur Engoron had prohibited the parties from any public comments targeting his team, after a “degrading” publication for his chief clerk issued by Donald Trump on Truth Social.