The New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday declined hearing an appeal filed by former President Donald Trump against the gag order in his New York business records trial, stating that "no substantial constitutional question is directly involved."
The gag order, imposed by Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan barring Trump from attacking witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, court staff, or members of their families through public statements, remains in effect as Trump's July 11 sentencing date approaches, reported CNN.
Trump had asked Merchan to terminate the gag order after the jury convicted him of 34 counts of business fraud in connection to payments that were made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump's attorneys argued that the gag order case brings up "substantial constitutional questions of the highest importance" and that it restricted Trump's "core political speech on matters of central importance" at the height of his campaign.
Further, they said the order violates "the fundamental right of every American voter to hear from the leading candidate for president on matters of enormous public importance."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case against Trump, had urged the appeals court to dismiss the claims, with his office arguing that the former president has a "well-documented history of leveling threatening, inflammatory, and denigrating remarks against trial participants."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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