Trump campaign blasts ‘restrictive’ gag order request in New York hush money case

The Trump campaign on Monday took aim at Manhattan prosecutors for requesting a “restrictive” gag order in the New York criminal case involving alleged hush money payments made ahead of the 2016 election.

Former President Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, called the request “election interference pure and simple” and said such a gag order would violate Trump’s First Amendment rights.

“Today, the 2-tiered system of justice implemented against President Trump is on full display, with the request by another Deranged Democrat prosecutor seeking a restrictive gag order,” Cheung wrote in a statement.

The gag order, Cheung continued, “if granted, would impose an unconstitutional infringement on President Trump’s First Amendment rights, including his ability to defend himself, and the rights of all Americans to hear from President Trump.”

Prosecutors’ request for a gag order in New York comes as the first trial in Trump’s four criminal cases quickly approaches.

The requested restrictions on Trump’s speech mirror those imposed on him in his criminal case in Washington, D.C.

Prosecutors are requesting Trump be barred from making statements “with the intent to materially interfere with” the case that mention court staff, their family members, or prosecutors other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D). Trump would also be barred from making statements about any jurors.

Prosecutors argued in their motion that “the need for such protection is compelling,” adding that the “Defendant has a long history of making public and inflammatory remarks about the participants in various judicial proceedings against him, including jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and court staff.”

“Those remarks, as well as the inevitable reactions they incite from defendant’s followers and allies, pose a significant and imminent threat to the orderly administration of this criminal proceeding and a substantial likelihood of causing material prejudice,” the prosecutors added.                      

Trump’s team, however, said the case was “election interference” by Democrats trying to prevent Trump’s return to the White House. Trump is currently the GOP front-runner for president in 2024.

“This case, like the others, is a sham orchestrated by partisan Democrats desperately attempting to prevent the reelection of President Trump and distract from the decrepit presidency of Crooked Joe Biden,” Cheung wrote in his statement. “The Radical Left will fail and President Trump will Make America Great Again.”

Earlier in the day, prosecutors demanded Trump be placed under a gag order that would prevent him from making public statements about witnesses with the intent to materially interfere with the case.

Trump has not yet responded in court papers to the demand, but his campaign blasted it as “election interference.”

Zach Schonfeld contributed.

Updated 4:58 p.m.