Trump seeks emergency stay of limited gag order in federal election interference case

(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump is seeking an emergency stay of the limited gag order that the judge in his federal election interference case reinstated earlier this week.

Trump requested the emergency stay from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals late Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon last month imposed a narrowly tailored gag order prohibiting Trump from making or reposting statements “publicly targeting” special counsel Jack Smith and his staff, as well as Chutkan’s staff and the staff of other D.C. district court personnel. After halting it following an appeal, she then reinstated the limited gag order on Monday in response to Trump’s social media comments regarding his former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Trump’s lawyers are arguing that the limited gag order violates his First Amendment rights.

They’ve also informed the court that if it declines to grant their request for a pause by Nov. 10, they will seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump in August pleaded not guilty to charges of undertaking a “criminal scheme” to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called “fake electors,” using the Justice Department to conduct “sham election crime investigations,” trying to enlist the vice president to “alter the election results,” and promoting false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged — all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power.

The former president has denied all wrongdoing and denounced the charges as “a persecution of a political opponent.”

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