In a late Friday evening news dump it was revealed Special Counsel Jack Smith filed a motion earlier this week seeking a gag order against former President Donald Trump. The motion was unsealed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan who is overseeing Smith's January 6 case against Trump.
"On Friday afternoon, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan unsealed filings revealing the government’s week-old request, arguing that Trump is undermining the fairness of the proceedings through “disparaging and inflammatory attacks” on prosecutors, witnesses and the judge in the case," POLITICO first reported.
In the motion, Smith requests Chutkan limit what Trump is allowed to say about DOJ prosecutors, the FBI, Chutkan, Republican presidential candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence, former Attorney General Bill Barr and more.
"The defendant’s past conduct, including conduct that has taken place after and as a direct result of the indictment in this case, amply demonstrates the need for this order," the Special Counsel request states.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, leading a campaign of political warfare masquerading as an exercise in justice, seeks to shut up former president and leading candidate Trump so he can't "prejudice" jurors. Regime can lie, leak, and break opponents; opponents can't call it out… pic.twitter.com/jKtgsyWaBg
— Benjamin Weingarten (@bhweingarten) September 15, 2023
...The order would prohibit Trump from making statements "regarding the identity, testimony, or credibility of prospective witnesses" and "statements about any party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors that are disparaging and inflammatory, or intimidating."
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 15, 2023
...While D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has said that she will not make accommodations for the fact that Trump is a candidate for President, this could force the issue and result in an appeal...
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 15, 2023
...Here is the motion. https://t.co/fwayKyCgNH
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 15, 2023
...Once again, I fail to see any good-faith effort of the Justice Department to recognize the unprecedented situation of prosecuting the leading candidate for the presidency in the middle of an election. Smith continues to show little sense of restraint. Indeed, this motion falls…
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) September 15, 2023
Chutkan has not yet granted Smith's request.
Trump's legal team sought to remove Chutkan from the case earlier this week after she made a series of anti-Trump comments from the court room, including strongly implying he should be in prison, during trials for January 6 defendants.
Trump seeks to recuse DC Judge Tanya Chutkan -
— Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) September 11, 2023
Chutkan has suggested "Trump should be prosecuted and imprisoned"
These statements "are inherently disqualifying"
[thread] pic.twitter.com/0kY6soQJCA
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