Justice Department Requests Protective Order in Trump Criminal Case
The Justice Department has asked U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan to issue a protective order in the criminal case against former President Donald Trump. This request comes after Trump released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.
The protective order, which is different from a “gag order,” would restrict the information that Trump and his legal team can publicly share about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. Prosecutors deemed it “particularly important in this case” due to Trump’s previous posts on social media about individuals associated with legal matters pending against him.
Prosecutors pointed out a recent post on Trump’s Truth Social platform where he wrote, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!” They argued that if Trump were to disclose grand jury transcripts or other evidence provided by the Justice Department, it could have a detrimental effect on witnesses or the fair administration of justice in the case.
The proposed protective order would prevent Trump and his lawyers from disclosing materials provided by the government to anyone outside of his legal team, approved witnesses, their lawyers, or other individuals approved by the court. Stricter limits would apply to “sensitive materials,” which includes grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.
In response to the Justice Department’s request, a spokesperson for Trump claimed that his post was simply political speech and a reaction to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”
This week, an indictment was unsealed accusing Trump of conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes to overturn his election loss to President Joe Biden. The indictment alleges that Trump repeatedly lied about the election results and pressured his vice president, Mike Pence, and state election officials to take action to help him hold onto power.
This is the third criminal case brought against Trump this year and the first to address his efforts to remain in power after losing the election, leading up to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
After his recent court appearance, Trump labeled the case a “persecution” aimed at damaging his 2024 presidential campaign. His legal team argues that it infringes on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election he believed was stolen.
Special counsel Jack Smith has expressed the intention to pursue a “speedy trial” against Trump, and Judge Chutkan has ordered the government to propose a trial date by Thursday. The first court hearing in front of Chutkan is scheduled for August 28.
In addition to the current case, Trump is already slated to stand trial in March in a New York case involving hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign, as well as in May in a federal case in Florida relating to classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
_____
Richer reported from Boston.