Judge Juan Merchan Eases Gag Order on Trump Ahead of Biden Debate

In a significant development, Judge Juan Merchan lifted certain restrictions on Donald Trump's gag order on Tuesday, just two days before Trump is set to debate President Joe Biden for the first time in the 2024 campaign. The ruling allows Trump to comment on the witnesses who testified against him and the jury that convicted him, marking a critical juncture in Trump’s legal battles.

Trump, who was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to payments made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen, has pleaded not guilty and plans to appeal the conviction. Despite the lifted restrictions, Judge Merchan preserved the order barring Trump from attacking court staff members, individual prosecutors, and the family members of any counsel, staff member, the Court, or the District Attorney. This includes Merchan's daughter, who works for a Democratic digital fundraising firm, and the wife of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Trump had previously attacked Merchan's daughter on social media, suggesting she was involved in efforts to "Get Trump," leading to the expansion of the gag order to include family members. Merchan stated that Trump's pattern of attacking jurists' and attorneys' family members serves no legitimate purpose and instills fear into the proceedings.

Trump was fined $10,000 during the trial for violating the gag order, mainly through comments targeting Michael Cohen. Despite Cohen dismissing Trump's discrediting strategy as ineffective, Trump continued his criticisms, calling Cohen a "s*****bag" and the jury "95% Democrats."

The current ruling allows Trump to broadly mention the jury but prohibits him from disclosing jurors' names or personal information. However, Trump and his legal team plan to challenge the order, deeming it "unconstitutional." Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesman, criticized Judge Merchan for maintaining restrictions on Trump's speech, arguing it prevents him from addressing Merchan's alleged conflicts and evidence against Joe Biden.

Prosecutors have argued for the gag order to remain in place through the sentencing hearing and any post-trial motions to protect the integrity of the proceedings. Despite these arguments, Merchan expressed a preference to continue barring Trump from commenting about jurors but couldn't justify it since the trial had ended.

As Trump prepares for his upcoming debate with Biden, his legal challenges continue to unfold, keeping the political landscape charged and uncertain.

Conservative Bias:

Once again, we see the liberal judicial system bending over backward to protect their own while trying to muzzle the truth-teller, Donald Trump. Judge Juan Merchan, a puppet of the Democratic machine, has eased the gag order on Trump just enough to give the illusion of fairness ahead of the Biden debate. But don't be fooled—this is a calculated move to keep Trump from fully exposing the corruption at the heart of the Democratic Party. Merchan’s restrictions still conveniently shield his daughter, who is knee-deep in Democratic fundraising, and the wife of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. This is a clear attempt to silence Trump’s criticism of the very people orchestrating this witch hunt against him. The liberal media and their judicial allies are terrified of what Trump might reveal about their dirty dealings. Despite being fined and gagged, Trump continues to fight back against these baseless charges and the biased jury, which is nothing but a Democratic stronghold. The left's hypocrisy knows no bounds—they preach justice but practice tyranny. This whole charade is just another desperate attempt to derail Trump’s campaign and protect the Biden regime from scrutiny. The American people deserve better than this blatant manipulation of the legal system to serve partisan ends.

Liberal Bias:

In a blatant display of conservative entitlement, Donald Trump has once again managed to manipulate the judicial system to his advantage. Judge Juan Merchan, under immense pressure from the MAGA mob, has lifted key restrictions on Trump's gag order, allowing him to spew his venomous attacks just in time for the debate against President Biden. This ruling is a dangerous precedent, showing that the courts are willing to bend to the whims of a demagogue who has consistently undermined the integrity of our legal system. Trump, who has a history of attacking anyone who dares to hold him accountable—including Judge Merchan's own daughter and the family of Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg—continues to exploit his platform to spread lies and incite violence. His relentless attacks on Michael Cohen and the predominantly Democratic jury are nothing more than a smokescreen to distract from his own criminal behavior. Despite his claims of an "unconstitutional" gag order, this is yet another example of Trump trying to play the victim while he bulldozes over the rule of law. The fact that he can still comment on the jury and the trial, albeit with some restrictions, is a testament to the dangerous influence he wields. This easing of the gag order is not about free speech; it’s about enabling a corrupt former president to continue his assault on our democracy. The judicial system must stand firm against this assault, or we risk eroding the very foundations of our democracy.