US Special Counsel Seeks Gag Order for Trump from Judge Smith

The prosecutor in charge of the federal election meddling case against Donald Trump has requested a gag order to limit his public comments on the case. Special Counsel Jack Smith believes that this order would prevent witness harassment. In response, Trump accused Smith's team of misconduct and questioned why he wasn't allowed to speak. Trump has pleaded not guilty to attempting to overturn the 2020 election. The request for the gag order was unsealed by District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who released several older court documents from the case. Prosecutors argue that their proposed order, which they don't refer to as a gag order, is a necessary restriction to prevent misinformation, threats, and prejudicing the case. If approved, the order would prohibit Trump from making statements regarding witnesses and from making disparaging and inflammatory comments about parties, attorneys, court personnel, or potential jurors. However, the order does not restrict Trump from quoting public record court documents or proclaiming his innocence. Any restriction on Trump's freedom of speech, especially as he plans to run for president in 2024, would likely face a significant legal challenge. Trump's lawyers previously wrote to Judge Chutkan, alleging bias and requesting her removal from the case. It's uncertain when a ruling on either motion will be issued. Trump expressed frustration on his social media platform, complaining about not being allowed to comment on the case. The filing references specific statements and online posts by Trump that allegedly led to intimidation of individuals, including Judge Chutkan. The filing also cites attacks on a Georgia election worker and a former cybersecurity aide by Trump, which reportedly resulted in harassment by his supporters. It was recently revealed that Twitter secretly provided 32 direct messages from Trump's account to the prosecutors, despite its initial resistance. Details about the messages, such as who sent or received them, were not disclosed. Trump, who is currently the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is facing increasing legal troubles and has been indicted four times, including in this federal investigation into election tampering.