‘Is This Still America?’ Hannity Rages At Trump Gag Order That Came After Direct Attack on Judge and His Daughter
Fox News opinion host Sean Hannity fumed at the gag order imposed on Donald Trump in New York City on Tuesday, declaring it both “un-American” and a violation of Trump’s free speech.
Judge Juan Merchan imposed the gag order hours after Trump attacked the judge and even went so far as to attack his daughter in a screed on Truth Social.
Trump is on trial in New York City over his hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and allegations he falsified business records to cover them up.
“Now Trump cannot even speak out in his own defense. He can’t defend himself against political attacks stemming from the indictments,” Hannity raged on Fox News Tuesday night, adding:
Of course, this was conveniently handed down in the middle of an election. I thought we’d lived in the United States of America. I thought we celebrated freedom of speech. Is this still America? Because I’m beginning to wonder if far left courts in this country are out of control. They’re doing this more and more, silencing people and threatening people that they’ll send them to jail if they dare speak out in their own defense.
Message is very clear, if the powerful government bureaucrats in New York City, Washington DC, Fulton County, Georgia, they don’t like your politics. They don’t like your last name. They’re going to try and put you in jail. They want to take away your property. They want to silence your dissent and ruin your life forever. Is that the country you want to live in? If Democrats are successful in 223 days in November, this chilling system of justice that will be coming to a town near you. If they can do this to Trump, they can do it to anybody.
While Hannity omitted Trump’s wild attacks on the court in his commentary, he also exaggerated the scope of the gag order Judge Merchan imposed on Trump. The gag order did in no way stop Trump from being able to “defend himself,” instead it placed restrictions on who he could publicly attack: potential witnesses, court staff, prosecutors (other than DA Alvin Bragg), and jurors.
You can read the gag order below:
Defendant is directed to refrain from the following: a. Making or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in the investigation or in this criminal proceeding; b. Making or directing others to make public statements about (1) counsel in the case other than the District Attorney, (2) members of the court’s staff and the District Attorney’s staff, or (3) the family members of any counsel or staff member, if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with, or to cause others to materially interfere with, counsel’s or staff’s work in this criminal case, or with the knowledge that such interference is likely to result; and c. Making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding. The foregoing constitutes the Decision and Order of the Court.
Dated: March 26, 2024 New York, New York MAK 26 2024 Juan M. Merchan Judge of the Court Claims Acting Justice of the Supreme Court HON. J. MERCHAN
Trump has been hit with partial gag orders in his DC election interference trial and during his civil fraud trial after he attacked the judge, the judge’s wife, and even went so far as to post the name and personal Instagram account of the court clerk to his social media. Trump has long raised eyebrows as his public attacks have resulted in an avalanche of threats and vitriol directed at his targets.
Watch the clip above via Fox News.
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