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President Donald Trump on Friday called for the gag order in the ongoing case against him in Washington, D.C., to be lifted just hours after a New York appellate judge suspended a gag order issued by Judge Arthur Engoron in a civil fraud case.
A statement from the Trump campaign explained, “The Gag Order appoints an unelected federal judge to censor what the leading candidate for President of the United States may say to all Americans, just weeks before the Iowa caucuses.”
As reported by RSBN, appellate Judge David Friedman temporarily stayed the gag order this week. The gag order was initially issued by Judge Engoron in the civil fraud case that has been brought against Trump by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Trump celebrated the stay, writing, “Judge Arthur Engoron has just been overturned (stayed!) by the New York State Appellate Division (Appeals Court), for the 4th TIME (on the same case!).”
The president also added, “This HOAX is a public relations disaster for New York State. Violent Crime is raging, and companies are FLEEING, never to be seen in N.Y. again!”
In late October, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan implemented a gag order in the ongoing federal election-related case based out of Washington, D.C. According to Politico, this came after she briefly put the order on pause amid a complaint from Trump’s legal team.
The Trump campaign noted on Friday that no court had ever kept a gag order in place “at the height of a campaign.”
They argued, “Just yesterday, the New York Appellate Division stayed a similar gag order against President Trump’s core political speech. The unconstitutional Gag Order in the DC case should be speedily reversed.”
The federal case in D.C. is set to go to trial in March 2024, in the heat of the Republican primary election season.