Gag order imposed on Trump

Judge Juan Merchan has issued a new ruling in the case involving allegations that former U.S. President Donald Trump paid "hush money" to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election, one of four criminal cases filed against him. Judge Merchan has imposed a gag order on Trump regarding the case.

Judge Merchan ruled that Trump cannot make statements intended to interfere with the case regarding lawyers, court staff, prosecutors, or family members of lawyers, and also prohibited him from making statements about potential or actual jurors. 

Judge Merchan noted that Trump has a history of making "threatening, inflammatory, and disparaging" statements against people at all levels of the justice system, including jurors.

ABOUT THE 'HUSH MONEY' CASE

Adult film actress Daniels had stated that she signed an agreement in 2016 in exchange for a 130 thousand dollar payment to remain silent about her relationship with Trump. Daniels had argued that the agreement was invalid on the grounds that it was not signed by Trump. Trump, however, denied Daniels' allegations. 

However, Michael Cohen, who worked as a lawyer for Trump before his 2016 election campaign, confirmed that he had paid 130 thousand dollars to Daniels on Trump's behalf from his own account. Cohen later claimed that he was reimbursed approximately 420 thousand dollars, including bonuses, by Trump's companies. 

Cohen was taken into custody during the investigation into Trump's election campaign on charges of "tax evasion" and "lying to Congress," and in the court where he appeared, he pleaded guilty to 9 federal charges, including campaign finance violations, and was sentenced to 3 years in prison in December 2018.

Trump appeared before a judge on April 4 last year as part of the case in which he is accused of falsifying business records to cover up the payment in question, and after hearing the charges against him at the hearing, he pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts. The first hearing of the case will begin with jury selection on April 15.

News Source: İHA