Special Counsel Jack Smith requested a “narrowly tailored” gag order to restrict former President Donald Trump from making public statements about the witnesses in the case connected to his third indictment, ABC News reported.
Prosecutors said the order would restrict Trump from making any statements “regarding the identity, testimony, or credibility of prospective witnesses” and about “any party, witness, attorney, court personnel, or potential jurors that are disparaging and inflammatory, or intimidating,” ABC News reported. Smith’s office reportedly accused Trump of spreading “disinformation” and harassment meant to intimidate witnesses in the case relating to his third indictment.
The indictment handed down charges relating to his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election on January 6, 2021.
“Like his previous public disinformation campaign regarding the 2020 presidential election, the defendant’s recent extrajudicial statements are intended to undermine public confidence in an institution — the judicial system — and to undermine confidence in and intimidate individuals –the Court, the jury pool, witnesses, and prosecutors,” the filing reads, according to ABC News.
1/ To be sure, Special Counsel Smith’s proposed narrow gag order in January 6th case is premised on threat to jury pool.
But
It is surely one step closer to raising the concern that Trump’s intimidation of witnesses violates his conditions of release.
Note these passages.👇 pic.twitter.com/ykrEF3W0wY
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) September 15, 2023
The order will reportedly not prohibit Trump from referencing or quoting public records or proclaiming his innocence, the outlet reported. The former president pleaded not guilty to all charges during an Aug. 3 hearing at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya.
The prosecutors filed the motion to D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, the outlet reported. It is unclear when Chutkan would rule on the motion. (RELATED: ‘Deranged Lunatic’: Trump Tears Into Special Counsel Overseeing Indictment)
Trump, the current Republican primary frontrunner, has accused Smith of attempting to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. He also accused Smith of intentionally handing down the indictment the day after Hunter Biden’s former business associate, Devon Archer, testified before the House Oversight Committee about President Joe Biden’s alleged communication and involvement in his son’s foreign business dealings.
The former president faces a total of four indictments. The special counsel charged Trump in early June with 37 counts in relation to storing classified documents in his Mar-a-Lago residence. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office charged Trump with 34 counts of allegedly falsifying business records in connection to a $130,000 hush money payment to former porn actress Stormy Daniels. In August, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis charged him and 18 of his associates with allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia.
He has pleaded not guilty to all 91 charges brought against him.