Judge Arthur Engoron is presiding over Donald Trump's NYC fraud trial
A gag order put in place by a 'politically biased' New York judge during Donald Trump's civil fraud trial has been overturned.
Judge Arthur Engoron - who is overseeing the fraud trial that is ongoing against Trump - slapped a limited gag order on the former president on October 3 after he insulted the judge's principal law clerk in a post on his Truth Social platform.
On Thursday, another judge, Associate Justice David Friedman, temporarily lifted the gag order pending a hearing about whether it should be in place amid concerns it could impinge on Trump's freedom of speech.
'Considering the constitutional and statutory rights at issue an interim stay is granted,' the appellate judge wrote.
News of the interim stay prompted the former president return to his social media platform once again to decry the 'wicked attack on democracy' by Engoron and his 'Trump hating clerk.'
© Truth SocialTrump has already been fined $15,000 for violating the gag order imposed during the fraud trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James
Engoron previously fined the 77-year-old Trump a total of $15,000 for two violations of the restriction during the trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
James was also targeted by Trump, who called her 'the worst and least respected Attorney General in the United States' and a 'worldwide disgrace.'
He fumed: 'The radical and unprecedented actions of Judge Engoron will keep businesses and jobs forever out of New York State.
'I have done nothing wrong my numbers were low, not high, I have a complete disclaimer clause, their star witness admitted he lied and made up this Fake case against me, and the the Attorney General used a "Get Trump" platform in order to run for A.G. & Governor (she failed!). This wicked attack on Democracy must be ended, now!'
© Joseph Prezioso/AFPFormer US President Donald Trump • Campaign rally
Claremont, New Hampshire • November 11, 2023
Claremont, New Hampshire • November 11, 2023
The federal judge set to preside over Trump's March trial in Washington for conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election also imposed a partial gag order on the brash billionaire, but that order has also been frozen pending an appeals court hearing to take place on Monday.
US District Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered Trump last month not to publicly attack prosecutors, court staff or potential witnesses ahead of his trial.
Chutkan's ruling came after special counsel Jack Smith, a frequent target of Trump's vitriol, filed a motion claiming the real estate tycoon's inflammatory rhetoric threatened to undermine his trial for election subversion.
Trump was indicted in Washington for allegedly seeking to upend the results of the 2020 election in a concerted effort that led to the violent January 6 attack on the US Capitol by his supporters.
Trump also faces federal charges for alleged mishandling of top secret documents after he left the White House, and has been indicted for racketeering in Georgia on accusations that he tried to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state.
Comment: Trump is one of the few individuals who has the resources to stand up to judicial bullying. In the process he is exposing the rot in the system. Can't keep the Orange Man down.