A New York judge, Justice Arthur Engoron, has slapped a stricter gag order in the civil fraud case against Donald Trump, which bars lawyers from talking about the judge’s interactions with his staff. This case, led by New York’s attorney general, accuses Trump of puffing up his assets for money gains. The gag order comes after Trump broke the original rule by sharing a pic of the judge’s law clerk with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, resulting in a $15,000 fine.
In contrast, a federal appeals court in Washington briefly loosened similar rules in a criminal case against Trump. Special Counsel Jack Smith accuses him of trying to overturn the 2020 election, and Trump’s legal team claims this infringes on his First Amendment rights. A three-judge panel, appointed by Democratic presidents, will consider Trump’s appeal on November 20. Meanwhile, Trump’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have testified in the New York case, and their dad is set to testify on Monday.
