Appeals Court temporarily suspends Trump's gag order in January 6 case

This Friday, a federal appeals court issued a temporary suspension of the gag order imposed by Judge Tanya Chutkan on Donald Trump in the case of the alleged electoral interference on January 6.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decided to pause the restrictions imposed by Chutkan to allow the justices to hear oral arguments in the case and determine whether the gag order against Trump should continue. This action was taken in response to an appeal filed by the former president’s legal team.

The court clarified that this administrative stay should not be interpreted as a final decision on the motion but rather as a measure that will give the court “sufficient” time to consider the motion.

Arguments in the appeal will be heard on November 20 by a three-judge panel, including Judges Patricia Millett and Cornelia Pillard, an Obama appointee, and Judge Bradley Garcia, a Biden appointee.

The order issued by the judge prohibited Trump from making public statements about prosecutors, judicial personnel and possible witnesses in the case. However, the former president’s legal team explained that the measure is unconstitutional because it violates the right to freedom of expression and limits the speeches of his presidential campaign.

“The gag order silences public criticism of quintessential public figures. The Special Prosecutor and his team are high-level government officials who volunteered for highest-profile criminal case in modern history, and thus ‘thrust’ themselves ‘into the vortex of this public issue,’” stated Trump’s lawyers while also highlighting that no court in American history had issued a gag order to a defendant who is campaigning for public office.