by Ben Whedon
Special counsel Jack Smith has asked a judge to issue a gag order to former President Donald Trump in his Jan. 6 case to prevent him from publicly attacking major figures in the case.
“The defendant’s past conduct, including conduct that has taken place after and as a direct result of the indictment in this case, amply demonstrates the need for this order,” reads a filing from prosecutors that Politico obtained.
Trump in August pleaded not guilty to all charges in Smith’s Jan. 6 case, which included counts of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, threatening constitutional rights, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
The request for a gag order went to U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, whom Trump’s legal team has asked to recuse herself over past statements she made that they say suggests a bias against the former president.
“Judge Chutkan has, in connection with other cases, suggested that President Trump should be prosecuted and imprisoned. Such statements, made before this case began and without due process, are inherently disqualifying,” they wrote.
Trump has often criticized the prosecutors conducting myriad cases against him. He insists that Smith’s indictment is politically motivated and part of a broader witch hunt designed to derail his 2024 White House bid.
Smith has also earned a spot on the “fraud squad,” a Trump-designated cabal of allegedly biased prosecutors that also includes Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
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Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
