Prosecutors in Manhattan are rejecting calls from former President Donald Trump's legal team to lift Judge Juan Merchan's gag order now that his trial is over, saying the restrictions are still needed to protect the legal proceedings.
"These interests have not abated, and the court has an obligation to protect the integrity of these proceedings and the fair administration of justice at least through the sentencing hearing and the resolution of any post-trial motions," Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo said in letter dated Tuesday and released publicly Wednesday, The Hill reported.
Instead of agreeing to the "immediate termination" of the order being demanded by Trump's side, prosecutors are calling on Merchan to issue more briefings in writing before coming to a decision.
Jurors last week found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for calling payments to attorney Michael Cohen "legal expenses." Trump's sentencing is set for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Colangelo added the opposition to the demand will address "whether, if at all, it would be appropriate to tailor aspects of the Court's Orders given the conclusion of the trial."
Merchan placed Trump under a gag order before his trial began, limiting him from making public statements concerning prosecutors, court staff, and witnesses, as well as attacks on family members of Merchan and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
The order does not prohibit Trump from speaking out about Bragg or the judge.
Trump has called the gag order unconstitutional, and his attorneys said in their filing that as the trial is finished, "the concerns articulated by the government and the court do not justify continued restrictions on the First Amendment rights of President Trump — who remains the leading candidate in the 2024 presidential election — and the American people."
Merchan fined Trump $10,000 and threatened him with jail time if he further violated the gag order.