(Headline USA) A federal judge issued a gag order against former President Donald Trump on Monday regarding his indictment for the alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Judge Bruce Reinhart—the same judge who approved the FBI’s late night raid on Mar-a-Lago—granted a protective order on discovery at the request of the Biden Justice Department.
The order requires all discovery materials to be maintained in the custody and control of the defense counsel, and it prevents Trump from accessing them unless he is under the “direct supervision of defense counsel or a member of the defense counsel’s staff.”
The order defines discovery materials as “all non-classified discovery produced by the United States to the defendants in preparation for, or in connection with, any stage of this case,” and says that they “may be used by the defendants and defense counsel … solely in connection with the defense of this case, and for no other purpose, and in connection with no other proceeding, without further order of this court.”
Trump will be allowed to take notes on the discovery materials, but they must be securely stored with counsel afterwards.
The gag order is meant to prevent Trump from “[disclosing] to the public or the news media, or [disseminating] on any news or social media platform,” the Justice Department’s evidence “without prior notice to and consent of the United States or approval of the court.”
If Trump violates this order, he could be held in contempt of court or face other civil or criminal sanctions.
Trump was also placed under a gag order regarding his first indictment by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Judge Juan Merchan in that case ruled similarly, saying Trump can have “limited” access to discovery materials but is barred from publicly discussing or disclosing the material.
In response, Trump blasted Merchan as a “highly partisan judge” who “hates me.”
Both Reinhart and Merchan have a history of overtly partisan actions in opposition to Trump. Reinhart previously issued social-media posts attacking the former president, while Merchan made a series of contribution to Democrat candidates including Joe Biden.
