Trump Challenges “Third World Country” Gag Order in NY Criminal Case over Alleged Hush Money Payments

Former President Donald Trump announced that his defense team in the NY v. Trump case has filed a motion to appeal the “unconstitutional gag order” preventing him from discussing the case publicly. Trump is facing criminal charges for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital affair with Trump. During Daniels’ testimony on Tuesday, she described meeting Trump in 2006 and having sex with him, while Trump has repeatedly denied this claim. Legal experts have criticized the admission of Daniels’ irrelevant testimony and accused the prosecution of undermining the judicial system. Trump’s defense team previously moved for a mistrial, claiming that Daniels’ testimony was too prejudicial, but this motion was denied by the judge. Daniels will continue her testimony on Thursday. The case centers around the alleged falsification of business records, with prosecutors alleging that Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, received $130,000 from Trump to silence Daniels, which the Trump Organization then reimbursed and logged as legal expenses. Prosecutors aim to prove that Trump falsified records with the intention to commit or conceal a second crime, which is a felony. Trump has accused his opponents of engaging in “Witch Hunt” tactics and claimed that the case is politically motivated and should be dismissed as “ancient history” that was already decided by voters in the 2016 presidential election. The defense argues that the gag order is “illegal, unconstitutional, and strictly third world country” tactics aimed at helping Joe Biden win the presidency, despite failing to provide evidence to support this claim.