(DailyChive.com) – Former President Donald Trump has recently criticized New York Judge Juan M. Merchan, who imposed a gag order on him ahead of his upcoming hush-money trial scheduled for April 15. Trump’s criticism stems from an incident allegedly involving a Twitter profile picture belonging to the judge’s daughter, Loren Merchan, which depicted Trump behind bars. Trump accused Merchan of bias and unfair treatment in response to this.
Trump voiced his criticism on his Truth Social platform, alleging that Judge Merchan succumbed to political pressures and unjustly attempted to curtail his freedom of speech. He claimed that the judge’s daughter, who is a Democratic political consultant, shared a photo depicting Trump in jail, implying her influence over her father’s decisions.
However, court officials swiftly rebutted Trump’s claims, clarifying that the social media account in question had no connection to Loren Merchan and had been inactive for over a year.
Prosecutors requested the gag order and prohibited Trump from making public statements or instructing others to do so regarding potential witnesses or jurors in his trial, as well as from harassing court staff. However, it does not restrict commentary about Judge Merchan or his family nor prevents criticism of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who leads the prosecution.
Trump’s accusations against Judge Merchan echo his previous attempts to have the judge recuse himself from the case, citing his daughter’s political affiliations and donations. Despite this, Judge Merchan has consistently defended his impartiality, emphasizing his dedication to upholding the law and ensuring a fair trial.
The hush-money case against the former president centers on allegations of falsifying business records related to payments made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to silence adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, maintaining that the payments were legitimate legal expenses.
While Trump’s legal team opposes the gag order, arguing that it violates his constitutional right to free speech, Judge Merchan has defended the necessity of maintaining decorum and protecting the integrity of the trial process.
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