December 14, New York – On Thursday, a state appeals court in New York rejected the attempt by Donald Trump to lift a gag order that prevented the former US president from discussing court employees in public during his ongoing civil fraud trial in New York.
The gag order was imposed on October 3 by Justice Arthur Engoron, the presiding judge in the case, after the former president of the United States posted a picture of the judge’s law clerk with Democratic U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer on social media and misidentified her as Schumer’s girlfriend.”
According to Engoron, the court was “inundated” with hundreds of threats following the post from Trump supporters.
The leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, Donald Trump, challenged the ruling last month, claiming it infringed upon his constitutional right to free speech.
The Appellate Division, a mid-level state appeals court, stated on Thursday that the gag order had little effect.
“Here, the gravity of potential harm is small, given that the Gag Order is narrow, limited to prohibiting solely statements regarding the court’s staff,” the judge stated.
A request for comment was not answered by Trump’s attorneys.
The trial over a lawsuit filed by the attorney general of New York, which seeks to fine Trump at least $250 million and severely restrict his ability to do business in the state that is home to several of his iconic properties, came to a close on Wednesday. Trump had been deceiving lenders about his net worth.
Trump’s financial statements were found to be fraudulent by Engoron, effectively limiting the trial to damages. Following the closing arguments on January 11, Engoron is anticipated to render a written decision.
Denying any wrongdoing, Trump has referred to the case as a “scam.”
After Trump filed an appeal on Nov. 16, the judge temporarily halted the gag order. However, two weeks later, a group of judges reinstated it.
Later on Thursday, the Appellate Division denied Trump’s request to be allowed to file an appeal against the reinstatement of the order with New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.
Trump was fined a total of $15,000 by Engoron for twice breaking the order.
As he runs against President Joe Biden in the election of November 2024, Trump is confronted with a plethora of additional legal issues, including four criminal cases. In all four, he has entered a not guilty plea.
None have lessened his decisive lead over competitors for the Republican nomination in the polls.
Luc Cohen reporting from New York Alistair Bell did the editing.
