The gag order imposed on Donald Trump during his civil trial in New York City, which was temporarily stayed earlier this month by the state’s appellate court, has now been reinstated. The appellate court ruled against Trump today and lifted their stay on the gag order.
Here’s more via CBS News:
A New York appellate court has reinstated a gag order barring former President Donald Trump from making public comments about court staff in his ongoing civil fraud trial, siding with the judge in the case who imposed the order after Trump disparaged his clerk.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron issued a limited gag order after Trump published a social media post about the clerk on Oct. 3, the second day of the trial. Over the next month, he and his campaign violated the gag order twice, and he was fined $15,000. Engoron eventually broadened the order to bar attorneys in the case from commenting on court staff.
The gag order was temporarily stayed on Nov. 16, as a panel of judges in the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court considered Trump’s request to have the gag order lifted. The appeals court ruled against Trump and lifted the stay in a brief order on Thursday.
In his courtroom, Engoron immediately advised lawyers in the case that he expects the ruling to be followed.
“I intend to enforce the gag orders rigorously and vigorously, and I want to make sure counsel informs their client,” Engoron said shortly after the appeals court issued its ruling.
Trump’s attorney was not happy with the decision…
Trump attorney Christopher Kise said the decision to reinstate the gag order represented “a tragic day for the rule of law.” He reiterated that position in a statement to CBS News.
“In a country where the First Amendment is sacrosanct, President Trump may not even comment on why he thinks he cannot get a fair trial,” Kise said. “Hard to imagine a more unfair process and hard to believe this is happening in America.”
The judge gets his way and I would assume the hefty penalties imposed on Trump at this point for violating the gag order still stand.