Former President Donald Trump often attacked the court less than 24 hours after receiving a partial gag order in the New York criminal lawsuit over his alleged company record falsification.
The president called Judge Juan Merchan “biased and conflicted” and scolded his daughter for a tweet a court official said was misattributed to her.Merchan ruled Tuesday that Trump must "refrain" from "making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses and their possible participation” in the case, as well as prosecutors, court officials, and their families.
The order did not mention the judge or his family, which Trump exploited Wednesday."This Judge, by issuing a vicious 'Gag Order,' is wrongfully attempting to deprive me of my First Amendment Right to speak out against the Weaponization of Law Enforcement," Trump said. He said that the judge "is suffering from an acute case of Trump Derangement Syndrome" and should disqualify himself.
Trump attacked Merchan's daughter, a progressive digital marketing agency official for many Democratic politicians. "Maybe the Judge is such a hater because his daughter makes money by working to 'Get Trump,'" he said in a post. He accused Laura Loomer, a Trump loyalist and conspiracy theorist, of tweeting a photo of him in prison.
State court official Al Baker said Merchan's daughter's X account was fake Wednesday night. Baker stated the account "was terminated a year ago. Since deleting the account, she has not posted under that screenname or linked her email address."
Loomer said the person joined Merchan's daughter's X account in April 2023, the same month extreme right news groups criticized her. Baker said the account was recreated that month as "manipulation of an account she long ago abandoned." Loomer also accused Judge Arthur Engoron's wife of posting anti-Trump messages last year.
Trump insulted the judge's wife, who Engoron's partial gag order didn't protect. Baker claimed Loomer promoted content not from the judge's wife. Not once has Justice Engoron's wife mentioned the previous president on social media. They're not hers, Baker said.
Trump cannot comment on prosecutors (except Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg), court staff, their families, jurors, or potential jurors based on his experience, Merchan decided Tuesday. Given “the nature and impact of the statements made against this Court and a family member,” as well as prosecutors and witnesses, and “given that the eve of trial is upon us, it is without question that the imminency of the risk of harm is now paramount,” the court acted.
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