Judge Tanya Chutkan is hearing oral arguments Monday on a limited gag order for former President Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 election interference case.
The federal judge in former President Donald Trump’s federal election interference case in Washington, D.C., told defense attorneys that Trump « must comply with the conditions of his release » on bail as arguments got underway Monday in a hearing on the government’s request for a limited gag order.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s team is urging U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to impose restrictions on Trump in order to protect potential jurors, citing the former president’s conduct on social media regarding people involved in his various legal battles.
Trump in August pleaded not guilty to charges of undertaking a « criminal scheme » to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called « fake electors, » using the Justice Department to conduct « sham election crime investigations, » trying to enlist the vice president to « alter the election results, » and promoting false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged — all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power.
After Judge Chutkan went through different categories of statements Trump has made — including a social media post in which Trump that called D.C. « a filthy and crime ridden embarrassment to the nation » — Trump attorney John Lauro pushed back, saying Trump’s statements were simply criticizing the Biden administration, and were about « public policy. »
« Those statements can be a double-edged sword, » Chutkan replied.
Lauro, who kept referring to the proposed gag order as censorship, was then interrupted by Chutkan, who said, « Mr. Lauro, you keep saying censorship. There is no question that a court is entitled to draw restrictions. »
« We’re talking about restrictions to ensure there is a fair administration of justice, » the judge added.
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She asked prosecutors whether the proposed gag order would prevent Trump from making public attacks on the Biden administration, such as calling President Biden « Crooked Joe Biden, » to which prosecutor Molly Gaston Gaston answered that such statements would not violate the order.
