Former President Donald Trump’s attorneys are seeking to lift a gag order placed on him during his business records trial, following his guilty verdict and ahead of a presidential debate at the end of June.
Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney, wrote to Judge Juan Merchan on Monday, arguing that the gag order should be lifted in light of Trump’s recent conviction.
“Now that the trial is concluded, the concerns articulated by the government and the Court do not justify continued restrictions on the First Amendment rights of President Trump – who remains the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election – and the American people,” Blanche wrote in his letter, obtained by Axios.
Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump on March 26, barring him from publicly speaking against witnesses and counsel, except for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, court staff, family members of court staff, and Bragg’s staff.
Blanche argued in the letter that “the constitutional mandate for unrestrained campaign advocacy by President Trump is even stronger” due to President Joe Biden’s campaign event outside the Manhattan courthouse on May 28, featuring actor Robert De Niro, and the forthcoming presidential debate between Biden and Trump on June 27.
Blanche also noted in his letter that Biden had made “public comments regarding the jury’s verdict” and mentioned the “continued public attacks” against Trump by Cohen and Daniels, witnesses in the trial.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled to take place four days before the Republican Party’s national convention on July 15.
