Judge Millett skeptical of allowing Trump rhetoric “aimed at derailing” the legal process
In a recent hearing, DC Circuit Judge Patricia Millett expressed skepticism about allowing the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump to potentially derail or corrupt the legal process. The comments made by Millett suggest that she may be leaning towards imposing some kind of speech restrictions against Trump, rather than fully lifting the gag order.
During the hearing, Trump’s lawyer John Sauer argued that the restrictions on all criminal defendants against illegal speech, such as blatant witness tampering, are enough to protect the integrity of the case. However, Judge Millett pushed back against this argument, stating that labeling it as “core political speech” begs the question of whether it is in fact political speech or aimed at derailing or corrupting the criminal justice process.
Sauer further argued that the speech potentially being restricted by the gag order is “inextricably entwined with the issues that are being publicly debated in the context of the campaign.” However, Judge Millett emphasized the need for balance in addressing such complex issues.
The hearing indicates that there is ongoing debate and deliberation regarding the extent to which speech restrictions should be imposed on Trump and how to differentiate between core political speech and speech that may corrupt the legal process.
The outcome of this hearing and the subsequent decisions made by the court will have significant implications for the legal proceedings involving Donald Trump.