Sept. 15 (UPI) — Lawyers working with Special Counsel Jack Smith have asked the judge overseeing former President Donald Trump’s election interference trial to issue a limited gag order, citing statements they say Trump has made “to undermine confidence in and intimidate individuals — the court, the jury pool, witness and prosecutors.”
The request was revealed in a court filing unsealed Friday.
The appeal cited Trump’s false statements about the 2020 election.
“The defendant is now attempting to do the same thing in this criminal case — to undermine confidence in the criminal case — to undermine confidence in the criminal justice system and prejudice the jury pool through disparaging and inflammatory attacks,” the prosecution wrote in their court filing to Judge Tanya Chutkan.
Prosecutors allege that the public has already been influenced by what they characterize as “the defendant’s reckless public posts marshaling anger and mistrust in the justice system and in prosecutors.”
Prosecutors pointed out that threats already have been made against Smith’s office and cited an incident in which a Texas woman made racist threats against Chutkan.
Prosecutors said Trump’s previous statements “are substantially likely to materially prejudice the jury pool, create fear among potential jurors, and result in threats or harassment to individuals he singles out.”
The gag order would prevent Trump from making “statements about any party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors that are disparaging and inflammatory or intimidating.”
Chutkan has not ruled on the request.
Trump posted a response to the filing on Truth Social Friday.
“Biden Prosecutor, Deranged Jack Smith, has asked the Court to limit 45th President, and leading Republican Nominee (by more than 50 points, & beating Dems!) DONALD J. TRUMP’S, PUBLIC STATEMENTS. So, I’m campaigning for President against an incompetent person who has WEPONIZED the DOJ & FBI to go after his Political Opponent, & I am not allowed to COMMENT? They Leak, Lie, & Sue, & they won’t allow me to SPEAK? How else would I explain that Jack Smith is DERANGED, or Crooked Joe is INCOMPETENT?,” Trump wrote.
In August, Trump pleaded not guilty to four felony counts contained in the case: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
The trial is scheduled to start in March.
