George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley blasted New York judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday over an expanded gag order against former President Donald Trump.
Merchan imposed the expanded order Monday after the former President criticized the judge and his daughter in multiple posts on Truth Social.
Turley said the gag order was preventing the former president from responding to attacks against him in the media, noting that Michael Cohen, a key witness for the prosecution, has attacked Trump in media appearances.
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“This is a really controversial order and I think it’s wrong,” Turley told “Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade. “You know, you’ve got Michael Cohen, who is going on the air every night attacking Trump, basically campaigning against him. He is not allowed to respond. Now, I would prefer that Trump leave these attacks or issues raised with the judge’s family to his counsel, I think that’s always the better approach.”
“But in this case, you have prosecutors pushing this trial right before an election, the judge is assisting in that, and then they want to gag the president from talking about the main issue in the election,” Turley continued. “Whether they like it or not, this election is likely to turn on this question of the weaponization of the legal system.”
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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg secured the 34-count indictment against Trump in March 2023 over the payout to former porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump is also facing two federal indictments from special counsel Jack Smith relating to efforts to contest the 2020 election and allegations surrounding classified documents, in addition to an indictment handed down by a Fulton County grand jury regarding alleged efforts to overturn the election in Georgia.
“I think that these courts have to acknowledge that, you have a D.C. judge that says I’m not going to take any acknowledgment or accommodation for the fact that you are running for president,” Turley said. “Really? Because you are insisting on trying him all the way up to and possibly through the election.”
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