Federal prosecutors in the case against former President Donald J. Trump have requested a protective order over discovery evidence, citing a threatening message that Trump posted on social media. The prosecutors, led by special counsel Jack Smith, highlighted Trump’s history of attacking individuals involved in criminal cases against him. The request was made to Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who was randomly assigned to the case.
The exchange began when Trump posted a message on his social media platform, Truth Social, issuing a vague but strongly worded threat. He wrote, “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” The government filed a request for a protective order shortly after, emphasizing the need for protections over discovery due to Trump’s previous public statements on social media regarding witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others involved in legal matters against him. They included a screenshot of his threatening post as evidence.
In response to the government’s filing, Trump’s campaign released a statement claiming that the post was political speech directed at his adversaries, not those involved in the election interference case. They argued that Trump was exercising his First Amendment rights. Trump’s defense is expected to focus on his status as a political candidate and his right to free speech.
Trump’s campaign also posted an ad on X (formerly known as Twitter), referring to the prosecutors as the “fraud squad” acting on behalf of President Biden. The ad represents one of Trump’s most aggressive denigrations of the prosecutors, whom he has consistently criticized. He has even pledged to appoint a “real” special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family if elected.
The Truth Social post stands out due to its directness compared to Trump’s past comments. The indictment against Trump describes how his repeated false claims of Election fraud led to the violent attack on the Capitol. Judge Chutkan has ordered Trump’s lawyers to respond to the government’s request by Monday.
However, a dispute has arisen over the deadline to object to the protective order. Trump’s lawyer, John F. Lauro, requested an extension until Thursday, but the government accused him of trying to delay the process. The government emphasized the need to start handing over discovery evidence and accused Trump of standing in the way.
Judge Chutkan’s decision aside, other judges have previously warned Trump about using threatening language. Justice Juan M. Merchan, overseeing Trump’s state prosecution on charges related to a hush payment, warned him against comments likely to incite violence or civil unrest. Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, presiding over a federal lawsuit against Trump, ordered him to stop posting messages about the case, calling his previous messages “entirely inappropriate.”
Despite these warnings, Trump has often ignored them and continued to post threatening or spiteful messages. He has personally attacked district attorneys and judges involved in his cases. It remains to be seen how Judge Chutkan will rule on the protective order and whether Trump will face consequences for his inflammatory language.
Original Story at www.nytimes.com – 2023-08-05 20:52:55
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