House Republicans propose “Let Trump Speak Act” to ban defendant GAG ORDERS

05/23/2024 / By Ava Grace

Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have brought forward the “Let Trump Speak Act” to prevent most judges from issuing most gag orders on defendants in criminal or civil cases.

Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles introduced HR 8410, dubbed the “Let Trump Speak Act,” on the House floor. As of May 17, 14 other GOP representatives became co-sponsors of the measure. These co-sponsors include Virginia Rep. Bob Good, Tennessee Rep. Diana Harshbarger, Arizona Rep. Eli Crane, Missouri Rep. Eric Burlinson, Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany, South Carolina Rep. Jeff Duncan, Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale, Illinois Rep. Mary Miller, Alabama Rep. Barry Moore and Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins. Three GOP representatives from Florida – Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna and Bill Posey – were also included as co-sponsors.

In a post on social media, Ogles described his bill as a means to ensure that the rights of all Americans are preserved. The bill’s text states: “No judge of the U.S. or of any state may issue a gag order to the defendant in any criminal or civil proceedings – except to prevent the disclosure of confidential information provided in discovery, to protect the privacy of minors or as part of a plea agreement.”

The proposal would allow people who received a gag order to “commence a civil action seeking injunctive relief.” It also stipulates that no provision in HR 8410’s text could be “construed as limiting a judge’s authority to issue orders to officers of the court.”

HR 8410 comes as former President Donald Trump has had multiple gag orders imposed on him by Judge Juan Merchan, who oversees Trump’s hush money trial. The former president has been fined $10,000 for alleged violations of these gag orders. It also followed the New York Court of Appeals rejecting another petition by Trump to reverse Merchan’s gag order. (Related: SUPPRESSED: NY appeals court DECLINES Trump’s request to overturn GAG order.)

Ogles denounces hush money trial as a “joke”

Ogles was in attendance at Trump’s New York City trial on May 16 to show support for the presumptive GOP nominee. The congressman for the Volunteer State slammed the legal proceedings against Trump, calling it a “joke of a trial.”

“I find it especially egregious in this case that Merchan has gagged Trump, a presidential candidate, from commenting on witnesses. The same witnesses who are not under a gag order and are publicly launching political attacks on him,” Ogles told the Post Millennial when asked for comment on the bill.

“No one in their right mind believes that Judge Merchan chose to gag Trump from commenting on witnesses because he is concerned about ensuring a fair trial,” Ogles added. “Having sat through the three-hour game of charade in court, it is more evident than ever that this is nothing but political persecution. It is a disgusting abuse of power by [President Joe] Biden and his weaponized pawns in the judiciary.”

Trump had alleged that several of those on the prosecution team have donated to or been closely affiliated with Democratic politicians. The president himself, his team and many conservative lawmakers allege that the cases against Trump are a “witch hunt” instigated by Biden.

The real estate mogul named a witness who had a clear biases against him in the person of Mark Pomerantz, a former lawyer for the Democratic National Committee and failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump also castigated prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, a former lawyer at the Department of Justice who was recruited by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to go after him.

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Watch this clip from “The Ingraham Angle” on Fox News discussing whether Judge Merchan’s gag order on Trump has legal standing.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.