Criminal defendant Donald J. Trump can not manage to help himself in or out of court. Having often attacked the prosecutors, witnesses, judges, and the Department of Justice to win sympathy from his adherents, Trump has finally gone too far. Judge Arthur Engoron laid into Trump and his legal team for a social media post identifying one of his clerks and claiming she was unfit for her job.
CNN:
"Personal attacks of any member of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate and I will not tolerate them," the judge said.
Trump looked straight ahead at the judge as he issued the order.
The judge then said all parties must not speak publicly about any members of the court staff.
"Consider this statement an order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing or speaking publicly about any members of my staff," Engoron said. "Failure to abide by this … will result in serious sanctions."
The Trump team was previously sanctioned for abusing the court system by US District Judge John Middlebrooks for nearly one million dollars. It seems likely Trump will push the envelope and we'll find out what Judge Engororn has in mind. This first gag order will likely result in other jurisdictions also more actively seeking to protect people from Trump's sticking his trolls on them.
