'Enormous risk': former prosecutor begs judges to punish Trump after hog-tied Biden video

A former federal prosecutor Saturday called on the judges overseeing his criminal court cases to take action against former President Donald Trump after he attacked Justice Juan Merchan's daughter online and shared images of a hog-tied President Joe Biden.

Joyce Vance, formerly the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, took to X Saturday morning to share her concerns about Trump’s social media attacks which she argued could cause irreparable harm to the upcoming trial in New York City.

“Imagine the impact Trump has on potential witnesses & jurors when he targets a Judge's daughter,” wrote Vance. “If Trump can get away with that, then what protection do regular folks have if they take the witness stand against him or vote to convict?”

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Vance’s plea comes about two weeks before jury selection is slated to begin in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against the former president, who pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records before the 2016 election.

Merchan earlier this week placed Trump under a gag order that does not bar the former president from speaking out against the judge or his family, as legal experts say is the usual practice.

But Vance argued Saturday Trump’s attacks— which one former prosecutor believes violate New York’s stalking laws — mandate a stronger response from Merchan.

“Judges are obligated, to protect the integrity of the proceedings in their courtrooms,” Vance argued. “If Trump can slash & burn his way through the system, there is an enormous risk jurors & witnesses will be intimidated & turn away from their duty out of fear for their & loved ones’ safety.”

Vance pointed to Trump’s social media attacks on the clerk of Justice Arthur Engoron — the civil court judge who ordered the former president to pay $464 million in damages for fraud — as proof that he knew the possible consequences of his actions.

“When Trump targeted Judge Engoron’s law clerk a court security official reported she was subject to constant threats & harassment,” Vance wrote. “Trump knows what he’s doing.”

Vance clarified that she does not want Merchan to limit Trump’s political speech, but argued he shouldn’t be allowed to put anyone's safety at risk either.

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“No one is saying Trump can’t campaign or that he can’t criticize Biden,” Vance concluded. “What he can’t do is suggest Biden should be kidnapped, knocked out & bound in the back of a pickup truck. I can’t believe that I have to write that out—there is no universe in which that’s acceptable.”

In her substack, Vance echoed her cry to all the judges overseeing Trump's criminal cases.

"Judges have the ability to compel good behavior from defendants on bond pending trial in their court," Vance said. "They should tell him he can’t threaten the President of the United States. It’s time for the courts to stop bending over backward to protect Trump. He’s entitled to all the constitutional protections any other criminal defendant receives, but he’s not entitled to more."