The judge who presided over Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial in Manhattan agreed to partially lift a gag order on the former president. This decision allows Trump to speak freely about the witnesses in the case and the jury that found him guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
Last month, Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to enhance his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election, ABC News reported.
Throughout the trial, Trump and his attorneys expressed their dissatisfaction with a stipulation in the judge’s limited gag order that forbade them from publicly responding to commentary about the case from witnesses in the proceedings, including Daniels and Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen.
Merchan limited the public statements that Trump could make about them and other parties involved in the case to protect the integrity of the trial.
The judge’s ruling on Tuesday maintained the gag order’s protective provisions for the court staff, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s staff, and their families.
There will be no change to the previous prohibition on the disclosure of personal information regarding jurors.
The sentencing of Trump in this case is scheduled for July 11.
Reports broke this week that Trump is choosing only three possible running mates.
Following a video of Trump saying that he had already made up his mind about who he would pick but hadn’t told anyone yet, CNN’s Alayna Treene said she thought he had narrowed down his original list to a much smaller group.
Reports on Trump’s reported “VP list” have been changing and all over the place for months.
Other recent reports speculated that Trump’s original VP list included not just the three finalists, but Senators Tim Scott and Tom Cotton as well as Reps. Byron Donalds and Elise Stefanik.
Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson has also been mentioned.