In a notable legal development, New York’s highest court has declined to review former President Donald Trump’s appeal against a gag order in his hush-money case.
As reported by CNN, the decision leaves the gag order, imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, in place, as the Court of Appeals did not find it to raise substantial constitutional concerns warranting immediate intervention.
Last month, Trump faced conviction on 34 felony charges related to undisclosed payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal their alleged affair before the 2016 U.S. elections.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, reaffirmed their commitment to contest what they consider an “unconstitutional gag order.”
Initially filed in May, Trump’s legal team argued that the gag order unjustly restricted his ability to engage in crucial political speech during a pivotal time in his presidential campaign. The order, requested by prosecutors and approved by Judge Merchan just before the trial commenced in March, prohibits Trump from publicly discussing any individuals connected to the case, except the judge or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Despite the restrictions, Trump has breached the gag order multiple times, resulting in a $10,000 fine. According to court spokesperson Gary Spencer, Trump’s legal team has a 30-day window to file a motion for leave to appeal.
