New York’s highest court court declined Tuesday to hear former President Donald Trump’s appeal to the gag order in his Manhattan case, despite the fact that Trump was convicted weeks ago.
The New York Court of Appeals wrote it would not hear the appeal because “no substantial constitutional question is directly involved.” Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts for falsifying business records in the case brought by Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Over the course of the trial, Judge Juan Merchan found Trump in violation of the order 10 times, imposing a $1,000 fine for each violation and threatening jail time for future offenses. (RELATED: There’s A Long List Of Reasons To Toss Trump’s Conviction — But His Appeal Venue Isn’t The Friendliest)
Merchan first issued the gag order in March to restrict Trump’s statements about witnesses, prosecutors other than the district attorney, court staff, their families and prospective jurors. He expanded the order after Trump criticized his daughter on Truth Social.
Former US President Donald Trump gestures as he walks back to the courtroom after a break in his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on April 30, 2024. (Photo by JUSTIN LANE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Trump’s attorneys appealed the gag order to New York’s highest court mid-May after a lower court found Merchan “properly determined that petitioner’s public statements posed a significant threat to the integrity of the testimony of witnesses and potential witnesses in this case as well.”
Following Trump’s conviction, his attorneys also asked Judge Juan Merchan to lift the order, arguing that the “concerns articulated by the government and the Court do not justify restrictions on the First Amendment rights of President Trump” after the trial.
Bragg’s office defended keeping the order in place at least through Trump’s sentencing hearing in July, claiming it was intended to protect more than just the trial.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, days before the Republican National Convention.
Trump’s attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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