In a recent legal development on Monday, former President Donald Trump is seeking permission to challenge a decision reinstating gag orders in his New York civil fraud case. Last week, a mid-level state appeals court reinstated these orders, preventing Trump and his legal team from publicly discussing court staff. Initially imposed by Justice Arthur Engoron on October 3, the order stemmed from Trump’s accusations of political bias against Engoron’s top clerk on his Truth Social platform, resulting in numerous threats from Trump supporters.
According to Newsmax, while the order was temporarily paused on November 16 by an appeals court judge, it was subsequently reinstated. Trump’s attorney, Clifford Robert, is now requesting the mid-level appeals court (Appellate Division) to permit Trump to appeal the reinstatement to the highest state court, the Court of Appeals in Albany.
Robert argues that these orders infringe upon both the U.S. and New York state Constitutions by limiting Trump’s First Amendment rights. He contends that Trump has the right to express serious concerns about the public and partisan activities of Justice Engoron’s Principal Law Clerk during an ongoing bench trial.
The case, brought by the New York Attorney General’s office, alleges that Trump inflated his net worth to deceive lenders and insurers. The trial primarily revolves around determining damages, as Engoron has already ruled that Trump’s financial statements were fraudulent. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million in penalties and aims to bar Trump from real estate business in the state.
Despite consistent denials of any wrongdoing and accusations of political bias against James, Trump faces penalties from Engoron, including a $15,000 fine for two violations of the gag order, with warnings of harsher consequences, including imprisonment, for future breaches.
It is noteworthy that Trump is also under a similar gag order in an unrelated criminal case related to his attempts to alter the 2020 election results. Despite facing multiple federal and state criminal indictments, including those linked to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Trump maintains a strong lead in the race for the Republican nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the upcoming election.