'Terrible idea': Ex-prosecutor warns Trump not to abuse temporarily lifted gag order
Former President Donald Trump should toe the line and avoid attacking court staff in the New York civil fraud trial, even though the gag order imposed on him — which he was already fined twice for violating — has temporarily been suspended by a state appellate judge.
That's the view of former federal prosecutor Elie Honig, who weighed in on CNN Thursday.
"This afternoon, the New York appeals court judge temporarily lifted the gag order that had been placed on Donald Trump and his attorneys in the civil fraud trial," said anchor Jake Tapper. "The judge in the case imposed a gag order after Trump had been attacking the judge's law clerk. What do you make of that?"
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"Well, Jake, this is a very narrow gag order," said Honig. "The fact that the court of appeals has put it on hold tells me they are being careful here, they're trying to respect his First Amendment right to speak. History has shown in both of these cases, that a moment a gag order is suspended, to give him the benefit of the doubt, he immediately goes out and violates it. Now it's not technically a violation because it's suspended, but I think it would be a terrible look to go back to attacking the judge's staff."
For one thing, argued Honig, "I think it's a narrowly crafted and fair gag order. All it does is protect vulnerable people who are just doing their jobs as court clerks."
"We'll see if Donald Trump respects the spirit of this gag order, but the court of appeals is doing its best to give him a chance to appeal the case and they are trying to respect his First Amendment rights here," added Honig.
Watch the video below or at the link right here.
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