Another meaningless gag order.

[lees1975]

From the PBS News Hour:

"Merchan had long resisted imposing a gag order, recognizing Trump’s “special” status as a former president and current candidate and not wanting to trample his ability to defend himself publicly. But, he said, as the trial nears, he found that his obligation to ensuring the integrity of the case outweighs First Amendment concerns. He said Trump’s statements have induced fear and necessitated added security measures to protect his targets and investigate threats.

First mistake, recognizing Trump's "special status" as a former president and current candidate. So what? Now we have a judge placing Trump above the law on the same basis Trump claims he is above the law.

Second mistake, not including himself or his own family members in the gag order.

We are dealing with a fascist nut job and his gang of violence-promoting thugs as supporters. Someone is going to take matters into their own hands, following this violent, insulting rhetoric and someone will become the victim of the lack of courage and conviction on the part of these judges who won't enforce the law when it comes to Trump.

No wonder our legal system can't get anything done, and delays court cases for years. It's lacking conviction and courage.

[TSExile]

1. It's a frigging joke.

It's not unlike restraining orders given to abusive husbands and boyfriends determined to kill their victims. It's sickening...and infuriating.

[lees1975]

2. It's not even that effective.

At least restraining orders separate the parties involved. This, zip.

[EarnestPutz]

3. "Lack of courage"? By excluding himself and his family from the order? He is taking a big chance because of his.....

……concern to keep his judgements legal and professional, not personal. He should be praised for this.

[lees1975]

8. He just left the orange buffoon a channel to vent through.

It would have been perfectly legal, and expected, to include himself and his family.

How much worse can Trump look? We already have the expectation that he's going as low as a human being can go. And he's got followers who are doing the same, putting us all in danger.

Just once, I'd like to see a judge call his bluff, and shove his ass in a jail with the rest of the general population.

[Irish_Dem]

4. The courts insist on seeing Trump as "special."

Which makes the courts look weak and helpless when dealing with
a criminal president.

[triron]

14. Trump is making judicial system a joke.

[Irish_Dem]

18. Yes the judges are enabling a ruthless sociopath.

They go beyond weak to complicit.

[FoxNewsSucks]

5. The gag orders are meaningless because no one enforces them

Fucker should be in jail "awaiting trial". Anyone else with 91 felony charges in 4 separate indictments would be.

[republianmushroom]

6. Yup

Want trump to end it, let him sit in jail for 5 days.

[Warpy]

7. Unless they're willing to confine Motherfucker

away from all electronic devices, nothing will get him to STFU or stop trying to intimidate judges and prosecutors by threatening their families.

They need to jail the asshole.

[lees1975]

9. And if that interferes with his ability to campaign, well, too bad.

He made his choice. He should have to suffer the consequences, which includes stopping his campaign for jail time for breaking the law. Like everyone else has to do when they break the law.

[Warpy]

15. It will never occur to him that behaving himself was the wiser course

That's for the little people, not godlike eminences like himself.

[PufPuf23]

10. Trump is leading the nation down the primrose path to electoral violence;

not as matter of if, but how much and how addressed.

Trump's threats of violence should be silenced for public safety and national security.

Looks to me that Trump should be in protective custody.

The bullshit at present would not be anywhere near as bad if not normalized by MSM and had insurrection conspirators leadership and complicit members of Congress, law enforcement, and military been rooted out of the system in a timely manner.

[H2O Man]

11. Respectfully disagree.

[Javaman]

12. there is one upside to all of this...

it exposes our judicial system, to anyone paying attention, as a joke.

[dlk]

13. As someone else said

This is white shoe law going against mafia law.

[bigtree]

16. you should understand

Last edited Fri Mar 29, 2024, 08:50 AM - Edit history (1)

...these judges are less concerned with disrupting or delaying a case out of something occurring from their own orders than with keeping the trials going.

This isn't something where court violations should dominate. That's not to say that there will be escalating sanctions, like we saw with Engoron. But folks looking for the judge to lock him up also need to consider what they want most; a trial, or a sideshow shitshow?

That's what the judge is managing, making certain the trial is paramount, not his own courtroom or defendant edicts.

Besides, the daughter isn't included in the partial gag order, and neither is the judge himself.

[lees1975]

19. The judge is included, since the order covers all court personnel.

And perhaps he left out mention of his daughter, but legally, she's also covered and can sue if she determined she was defamed. So it's not as cut and dried as it might appear.

One of the attorneys who consults on MSNBC, I think it was Joyce Vance, said that a gag order is a gag order, and any public conversation about an upcoming trial can be admissible as evidence. Maybe that's their approach, though I think if they're going to take this step, they should make good on the threat.

[bigtree]

21. I think this judge cares more about those threats to his daughter than anyone else

...so what is the question here?

I wouldn't expect him to sanction Trump for comments about his honor, or comments about anyone not connected to this case.

His job and interest is in moving to trial. When he finds that effort is impeded or compromised, he'll act. His interest is in the proceeding, more than in allowing his own orders to unnecessarily derail the trial.

He'll sanction Trump when he's ready, and the penalties will be incremental and escalating.

[lees1975]

24. No he won't. It's the proverbial shooting of someone in the middle of fifth avenue.

Won't happen. I'm pretty convinced at this point that no one in the courts of this country has the courage to do the right thing where Trump is concerned.

The one case against him with overwhelming evidence, the documents in Florida, is being overseen by a judge who is doing everything he wants her to do because he appointed her and expects it, and she's giving it to him as expected. She's doing just enough to avoid a sanction, or having it taken away from her. Several gag orders have been issued, ignored and run over in Georgia. And in the E. Jean Carroll case, there were hundreds of violations, and he did get slapped with a fine, a token, that was nothing.

The legal profession is all about figuring out how to profiteer on slowing down, or blockading, true justice. It's a "buy your way to what you want" system under the control of cowards. I dare a single judge to slap a gag order on Trump and then jail him for violating it, like anyone else would be jailed, in the general population of a county jail.

[PufPuf23]

22. A sideshow shitshow is what we have been experienced for over 3 years and counting.

The shitshow is harming whatever trials do or do not occur.

I want Trump incarcerated pending trial because Trump is successful (so far) in the attempt to avoid justice. Trump is a threat to public safety and national security. Not even a close call. If Trump and pals aren't addressed now, the future will be worse. Every day the shitshow continues, the more normalized the shitshow and less likely prime actors in the failed coup suffer penalty for attempting to steal a POTUS election and warp nearly every ideal imbedded in the USA.

We are losing the nation and you and a few others focus on defending a legal system that is in shambles and a major part of the ills we face as a nation.

[bigtree]

23. he got sanctioned for violating orders in the fraud trial

...as well as the final judgment.

All without locking him up on the judge's order.

I'd like to see him in jail, but I'd rather the trial continue unabated. This judge will decide if and when that's the case. Right now ain't it.

[lees1975]

25. Sanctioned. Yeah...

...that took some balls, huh?

[FakeNoose]

17. The only way to gag Chump is to take away his cellphone

... cancel or block his social media accounts. He'll be helpless once that happens.

[Blue Owl]

20. I wish someone would just punch him in his fat fucking fugly face