A NY appeals court has affirmed Judge Juan Merchan's gag order for Donald J. Trump in his criminal election interference trial.
An appeals court feels Judge Merchan has appropriately identified the Orange Menace as a "significant threat to the integrity" of the proceedings. Trump's corrosive presence seems to tarnish the integrity of nearly everything and everyone he encounters, but this gag order is his latest go-to grievance. The suspension of disbelief his cultists endure, listening to him violate the gag order as he rails about it, is beyond understanding.
"We find that Justice Merchan properly weighed petitioner's First Amendment Rights against the court's historical commitment to ensuring the fair administration of justice in criminal cases, and the right of persons related or tangentially related to the criminal proceedings from being free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm," according to the order.
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"You ask me questions I'm not allowed to respond," Trump told reporters Tuesday morning before entering the criminal court and before the ruling was issued. "The gag order has to come off."
Merchan said the gag order is needed to prevent witnesses from being intimidated, especially given the high-profile nature of the trial and defendant.
Tuesday, the appeals court agreed: "Justice Merchan properly determined that petitioner's public statements posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses in this case as well."
CNN
As he doesn't adhere to the order, why does he care so much? Does Trump think he can use the gag order to declare a mistrial or escape the charges? Is this what his polling people have told him MAGA morons can best use to declare the trial invalid or unfair?
![The Canadian Flag [pexels]](https://i0.wp.com/boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/canada_flag_country_canadian_red_photo_free_image_royalty_free-634249.jpg?fit=300%2C225&ssl=1&resize=250%2C190 "Trump declares Canada a state")
