NEW YORK: Former US President Donald Trump has asked the court to lift a ban imposed on him in his money case to maintain his silence.
The former president's appeal comes after he was found guilty last week on charges related to payments he made to adult actress Stormy Daniels.
In his verdict, Judge Juan Merchán prohibited Trump from making public statements before the trial began in April. Prosecutors argued the gag order was necessary because of Trump's history of making potentially threatening comments.
Todd Blanche, Trump's attorney, wrote in a letter dated June 3: “Now that the trial has concluded, the concerns expressed by the government and the Court do not justify continued restrictions on President Trump's First Amendment rights. “.
Daniels claimed the payment was to keep her silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. However, she denies the charges.
Trump has promised to appeal the conviction. He has often called the gag order an unconstitutional infringement on his right to free speech.
A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had no immediate comment on the request.
During the trial, Merchan fined Trump $1,000 for each of ten violations of the gag order. One violation involved a social media post calling Cohen a “serial liar,” and another was an interview in which Trump claimed that “that jury was chosen so quickly: 95% Democrats.”
Judge Merchan warned Trump on May 6 that he could end up in jail if he violated the gag order again.
Blanche, in her letter, also mentioned that President Joe Biden had publicly commented on the verdict and that Cohen and Daniels continued to attack Trump in public. She maintained that the gag order should be lifted to ensure justice.
