Donald Trump didn’t show up to his gag order hearing, by the by, but he is using it as an excuse to fundraise on Truth Social, as we speak. Judge Tanya Chutkan is citing 18 USC 1512 criminal law against intimidating witnesses and jurors. “These prohibitions apply to everyone. Defendants, the government, their lawyers and third parties,” she said. John Lauro chimed in with his opinion of how well things are going and the judge laughed in his face.
After Lauro says Trump has abided by judge's prior orders and insists: 'What you have put in place respectfully is working,' Chutkan literally laughs in his face. Judge: 'Hahaha. I have to take issue with you, Mr. Lauro'
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) October 16, 2023
Great start to a Monday morning in Trump world.
Now laughter in the courtroom after Lauro says he served as an advisory neighborhood commissioner in DC, and judge asks if that was before it became 'a flithy and crime-ridden' city. Significant tittering in courtroom.
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) October 16, 2023
Wow. This is starting to sound like something off a late night comedy talk show.
Trump lawyer Lauro: ‘I'm sitting here thinking George Orwell would have field day with what we’re hearing from these prosecutors.' Judge Chutkan mutters in response: 'Judge George Orwell would definitely have a field day.'
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) October 16, 2023
Now Chutkan mentions Trump's attack on Judge Engoron's law clerk, saying she was 'deeply disturbed' by his posting about her on social media
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) October 16, 2023
Oh, yes. That was bound to come in. Here are excerpts from this morning’s hearings from the New York Times:
14 minutes ago
Reporting from the courthouse
Judge Chutkan is reading hypotheticals about what Trump is allowed to say under current conditions of release. She raises the example of “Bill Barr is a slimy liar and can’t be trusted.” Lauro responds: “I’m not going to say that truth is a defense.” He also says that Barr, the former U.S. attorney general, is a tough guy who is not going to get intimidated.
14 minutes ago
Reporting from the courthouse
Molly Gaston, a prosecutor, says that all of Judge Chutkan’s examples are problematic. It’s not just intimidating those specific witnesses, she says, but others who are watching what happens when Trump says inflammatory things about more powerful people. Another problem: Trump’s statements also provoke responses by those witnesses, which means airing the details of their potential testimony out in the open in advance of trial.
14 minutes ago
Reporting from the courthouse
John F. Lauro, one of Trump’s lawyers, says it would break new ground to issue what he called a “censorship” order during the campaign. He asks if the judge would put Trump in jail in the middle of a campaign — a potential penalty for violating a gag order -— calling this a “can of worms.”
14 minutes ago
Reporting from the courthouse
It’s possible we will get a ruling on the gag order question when the judge returns to the bench.
Now you know as much as anybody in the courtroom. Let’s see if we get a ruling today.
Meanwhile, Trumpty Dumpty has issued a fundraising plea, because he wants you to know this isn’t a gag order on him, because he’s got a big mouth, this is a gag placed on the American people.
“Today, a hearing is taking place in our nation’s capital to decide whether or not Joe Biden can get away with imposing a GAG ORDER on his leading opponent – me,” the email began. “Because I may be prohibited from speaking out against his corruption as of later today, I want to say all I can right now in this final email to you before the hearing.”
“I have a lot to say, but it all comes from the heart,” the message added. “Today really isn’t about gagging me … It’s an attempt to gag the American people.”
The email continued on in that vein, positioning Trump as a champion of the “silent majority” since he entered politics, and once again invoked his arrival on that stage from the golden escalator at his eponymous Manhattan high-rise.
“Of course, if you’re doing poorly due to the tyrannical administration that would rather gag its leading opponent than lift a finger to help our hurting citizens, then just hit the back button and go about your day,” the email read. Before the gag order hearing, please make a contribution of any amount – truly any amount – to prove that the American people will NEVER SURRENDER our mission to put America First and to save our country from tyranny.”
Let’s see what the rest of the day brings.
what would happen if we called a prosecutor a thug or what-the-f*ck-ever? We’d be locked away, let out only for either a contrite apology or the trial. PERIOD. I’ve had enough of this mango-tinted moron thumbing his nose at a “justice” system that thus far has handled him with kid gloves. This is bull-sh*t and needs to stop immediately. Former guy should have been locked up for this a LONG time ago. Let’s just get it over with and start applying the law, the same way, for EVERYONE. Drumpf is not special unless acting like a two year old when you’re almost 80 is special.