Former US president Donald Trump has proclaimed a gag order laid out against him in his ongoing New York hush money trial as unconstitutional. The gag order would thwart Trump from making extrajudicial statements that could influence jurors and witnesses. Trump’s assertion comes on the heels of his previous contempt charge, which marked the second contempt charge in a span of a week along with a threat of incarceration.
In the leadup to the criminal trial, the New York supreme court had imposed an order barring “prolific social media poster” Trump from making unlawful statements. The latest contempt charge was emerged from nine violations of the order, wherein Trump used social media and his campaign website to contravene the directives. Consequently, he was imposed with a $9,000 fine, and also commanded to delete the violating posts.
Last week’s contempt charge was drawn from Trump’s statements in an interview on April 22, as recorded in court documents, which breached the gag order by publicly discussing the jury and the jury selection method, thereby questioning the integrity of the trial. Following this, Judge Juan Merchan of the New York Supreme Court pronounced a stern warning that further violations could lead to incarceration.
Trump responded with his claim that the gag order is an affront to the constitution and alleged the trial as being immensely biased. He continued to label the trial a political strategy aimed at blocking his potential return to presidency.
Noteworthy is the fact that while Trump is the first ex-US president facing criminal charges, a criminal conviction is not necessarily a hindrance to his candidacy for president. According to Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the US Constitution, the prerequisites for presidential candidacy are: being a US citizen, over 35 years of age, and residing in the US for a minimum of 14 years.
The unfolding of this trial and its potential repercussions is likely to have profound implications on the political and legal landscape of the country.
Further details can be viewed on JURIST – News.