In a recent legal development, a New York Appeals judge has taken a stand for free speech by temporarily lifting a gag order imposed by NY Judge Arthur Engoron on former President Donald Trump.
Appellate judge David Friedman, recognizing the importance of upholding First Amendment rights, stepped in to suspend Engoron’s gag order. The situation arose when Judge Engoron put Trump on the witness stand in late October, accusing him of violating the gag order with his comments to the press and imposing a $10,000 fine on the former president.
The case, initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James, seeks an astonishing $250 million in “damages” despite the absence of any discernible victim in this alleged fraud case. Furthermore, it aims to ban Trump and his sons from conducting any business operations in New York. It’s important to note that this is a non-jury trial.
President Trump had briefly engaged with the media during a mid-morning break last month, where he criticized Michael Cohen as a “discredited witness” and labeled Judge Arthur Engoron a “partisan judge.” He pointed out Cohen’s felony conviction for lying, emphasizing the questionable credibility of the prosecution’s key witness.
During Trump’s testimony, Judge Engoron questioned him about his statements to reporters and specifically inquired if he was referring to Michael Cohen. Trump confirmed that he was indeed referring to Cohen. Despite the clear reference, Judge Engoron imposed a $10,000 fine on Trump.
Furthermore, Judge Engoron had previously fined Trump $5,000 for an alleged violation of the gag order in early October. In response to these developments, Trump’s legal team took a proactive stance by filing a motion for a mistrial, arguing that the entire fraud case had been tainted by bias.
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik from New York also weighed in on the matter by filing a judicial ethics complaint against Judge Arthur Engoron, citing his “bizarre behavior” and evident bias in Trump’s non-jury civil fraud case. She expressed concern that Judge Engoron’s conduct was undermining the credibility of New York’s judicial system.
Former Southern District of New York federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy, known for his occasional criticisms of President Trump, even went so far as to describe the entire New York justice system as “fraudulent” in light of the ongoing proceedings. Stefanik emphasized the importance of addressing the perceived corruption and biased actions of leftist judges in New York, calling on all New Yorkers to stand against what she characterized as “dangerous weaponized lawfare” against President Trump.
Thanks to our friends at The Gateway Pundit for contributing to this article.
