(ConservativeJournal.org) – Trump’s legal team asked the Florida judge in charge of the documents case to not-only reject a recent motion by prosecutors to gag Trump, but also asked they be slapped with sanctions and a charge of civil contempt due to technicalities regarding how it was filed.
Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, was asked by Trump’s team to sanction any prosecuting attorney who was involved in the decision. Trump stands accused of taking documents after he left the presidency; he’s claimed he had the right to take them under the Presidential Records Act.
Prosecutors filed a motion late in the day on Friday, May 24 asking Cannon to gag Trump’s statements regarding the FBI being authorized to use deadly force during the raid on Mar-A-Lago in 2022. Head of the Department of Justice, Merrick Garland, has asserted that the procedures were standard despite the subject of the raid being a former president and chief political rival of the current administration.
Special Counsel Jack Smith is heading up prosecution for the Democrats, in his filing requesting the gag order, he suggested that Trump has made false and provocative statements that they claim aren’t covered by the First Amendment. Smith argued that Trump’s statements put law enforcement officers at risk.
Trump’s lawyers responded on the following Monday, highlighting that the government’s filing came late in the day without any discussion with the defense, violating local rules. They also argued that the gag order would limit Trump’s free speech during an election.
Cannon can respond when she’s ready, there’s no indication on when she’ll rule on the motion. Currently the documents case is on hold pending the outcome from the Supreme Court on whether or not Trump can even be charged in the matter.
Trump is also facing contested allegations in New York over the valuation of his real estate and subsequent loans; that case is on appeal. Closing arguments in the campaign finance case involving NDA payments to Stormy Daniels are also underway. A separate case in Georgia over Trump asking about the final vote count is also on hold after the prosecutor in that case was accused of wrongdoing. Trump’s January 6 trial is also unlikely to start any time before the election.
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