Former President Donald Trump is seeking to fast-track a challenge to the constitutionality of the limited gag order imposed on him by the judge overseeing his criminal hush money trial in New York, ABC News reported.
Trump’s defense team on Wednesday asked an intermediate appeals court to issue a ruling on an expedited basis, or, alternatively, to grant them permission to appeal directly to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals.
The Appellate Division previously rejected Trump’s attempt to pause the trial while he fights the limited gag order, which prohibits Trump from making statements about witnesses, jurors, attorneys, and others associated with the hush money case. It also rejected his attempt to pause enforcement of the gag order.
This time, Trump is taking on the order itself on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, according to sources familiar with the strategy who agreed to speak anonymously because the defense filings are under seal.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office filed a response but it, too, is under seal.
Trump has repeatedly attacked the limited gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, claiming his free speech rights are being “unfairly taken” from him.
