'Organized crime case': Legal expert weighs in on 'stunning aspect' of Trump gag order

A month and a day ahead of trial in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's hush money case against Donald Trump, the New York prosecutor requested that the judge place a "narrowly tailored" gag order on the former president.

According to the Hill, "Prosecutors argued in their motion that 'the need for such protection is compelling,' adding that the 'defendant has a long history of making public and inflammatory remarks about the participants in various judicial proceedings against him, including jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and court staff.'"

MSNBC legal analyst Joyce Vance responded to Bragg's request via X, writing, "One of the most stunning aspects of the protective order the Manhattan DA seeks in his prosecution of Donald Trump is that, although Trump is entitled to know the identities of jurors, the DA has asked to keep their addresses secret. Like you would in an organized crime case."

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Just Security's Adam Klansfeld notes Bragg's "memo swings somewhat more broadly than" previously requested gag orders in the ex-president's other cases — from his New York civil fraud trial and Washington, D.C. election interference case, to his Fulton County, Georgia racketeering case — in that "it seeks to bar Trump from 'making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses,' 'counsel in the case other than the District Attorney,' 'members of the court’s staff and the District Attorney’s staff,' 'the family members of any counsel or staff member' under certain conditions, and jurors."

The Hill notes Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to the protective order in a statement, saying, "Today, the 2-tiered system of justice implemented against President Trump is on full display, with the request by another Deranged Democrat prosecutor seeking a restrictive gag order, which if granted, would impose an unconstitutional infringement on President Trump’s First Amendment rights, including his ability to defend himself, and the rights of all Americans to hear from President Trump. This is election interference pure and simple."

Bragg charged the former president with 34 felony counts involving falsifying business records in an effort to cover up hush money payments he made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.