Trump NYC Criminal Trial
Joyce Alene:
1/On Tuesday, the Judge in the Manhattan DA’s criminal case against Trump entered a narrow, limited gag order against the former president. And it turns out that what it doesn’t prohibit is as important as what it does

2/Trump can’t talk about witnesses or jurors. He can’t talk about court staff, the DA’s staff, or the staff of any of the lawyers. He can’t talk about the lawyers. The exception is that he can talk about the DA himself. The Judge and his family also remain fair game.

Joyce Alene:
3/That’s because there is some sense that it’s unseemly for a judge or top prosecutor to protect themselves. And most of the time that makes sense, because it’s unnecessary. But this is Trump. He takes what’s not in the gag order as an invitation to go there.

4/Trump has been on social media binge, a multi-day tirade against Judge Merchan. And his daughter. You read that right. The former president of the United States is attacking a judge’s kid.

Joyce Alene:
5/When Trump paints a bullseye on a Judge’s back, his followers respond. He knows this. His followers have demonstrated their propensity towards threats and even violence over and over again, as when a Texas woman threatened to kill Judge Chutkan.

6/You won’t see a single Republican senator, representative, governor, or party leader condemn Trump's dangerous, reckless behavior.
But last night, a senior federal judge, Reggie Walton, did in an unusual CNN interview.

Joyce Alene:
7/The Judge told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins “It’s very troubling” that judges & their families are being threatened, in a clear reference to Trump. It’s extraordinary for a sitting federal judge to do something like this. It shows Judge Walton feels a sense of urgency.