Trump
Donald Trump is said to be planning to escalate his attacks on Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney, after he was indicted for the first time as a former president. But legal experts warn that it could backfire.
According to multiple reports, Trump was indicted last week by a grand jury on more than 30 charges related to hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, during the 2016 election. These payments were made by Michael Cohen, his former lawyer. According to multiple reports, Trump, who denied any wrongdoing, described the investigation as a witch hunt, and told people close to his that it was time for him to politically “rough ’em all.”
Trump’s continued attacks on Bragg could lead to a gag order that would limit his ability to speak about his case outside of court. Kevin O’Brien, a former federal prosecutor, and white-collar attorney at Ford O’Brien Landy LLP, said Kevin O’Brien.
O’Brien stated to Salon that the precedent of January 6th would likely be the most important in the court’s minds. Trump doesn’t have the luxury of a clean slate. “Having said that O’Brien stated to Salon that most judges would not impose a gag on a criminal defendant. This would violate the First Amendment.
The former president attacked the Manhattan district attorney’s office for Truth Social in the weeks before his indictment. He called it “corrupt and highly political”. He called Bragg “Soros-backed animal” and encouraged his supporters “protest” the widely anticipated arrest.
He even threatened to kill him if he was arrested in one of his posts. Bragg was soon mailed a death threat letter containing suspicious powder. The letter stated that “ALVIN: !!!!!!!!!!!!!”I AM GOING to KILL YOU.”
Trump’s rhetoric could escalate further and he could be facing additional criminal charges if he continues to make direct threats, according to William “Widge”, a former assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of New Jersey.
Devaney stated that it was quite another to make veiled threats against law enforcement officers and the district attorney’s office. “That’s where it crosses the line in terms of whether it could lead to additional charges.”
Devaney said that Trump’s continued name-calling and making “political statements” may not be stopped. He also pointed out that even if a gag order was issued against Trump, “there are hundreds out there who will speak for Trump.”
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These people include members of Congress like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who recently pledged to defund federal law enforcement agencies following Trump’s indictment.
The House Judiciary Chairman stated that Republicans will investigate defunding the agencies responsible for investigating Trump in a Fox News interview on Sunday.
Jordan stated that “we control the power to the purse” and that he would have to review the appropriation process to limit funds to certain agencies, especially those who engage in the most egregious behaviour, when Jordan was asked what his committee could do to stop the “weaponization” of government.
Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. has called Bragg’s investigation into former president “an outrageous abuse by a radical D.A.” He allows violent criminals to walk while he pursues political revenge against President Trump.”
Trump tweeted after his indictment that the “American people won’t tolerate this injustice” and warned that the House of Representatives would hold Alvin Bragg, and his unprecedented abuse of power, accountable.
Trump’s attitude towards New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan (the judge in the case) has escalated.
In a post on Truth Social last Wednesday, he claimed that Merchan “hates him” and that the judge “railroaded Trump’s former chief finance officer into pleading guilty to tax fraud.
Merchan was in charge of the tax fraud case against Trump’s business. In which Allen Weisselberg, former chief financial officer for Trump Organization, pleaded guilty, Merchan was sentenced to five years in Rikers Island jail.
Trump is expected to appear in Manhattan courtrooms on Tuesday for his arraignment.
Devaney stated that Trump’s comments could lead to “any kind of obstruction of proceeding or assault against one the officials,” and “that could certainly change the complexion” of the whole matter.
