- New York Appeals Judge David Friedman suspends Trump’s gag order in his civil fraud trial while the case is argued.
- The trial judge, Arthur Engoron, has fined Trump $15,000 for commenting on his clerk.
A New York appeals judge suspended restrictions Thursday on what Donald Trump could say about court staffers in his civil fraud trial.
The trial judge, Arthur Engoron, has fined Trump a combined $15,000 for violating the gag order against commenting on his clerk, Allison Greenfield.
But Trump appealed, calling the order unconstitutional and arguing the sanctions violate the court’s rules.
Judge David Friedman, who sits on the appellate division above Engoron’s court, suspended the gag order while the appeal is debated. Friedman asked for Attorney General Letitia James to file written arguments by Nov. 22 and for Trump to reply by Nov. 27.
“Considering the constitutional and statutory rights at issue, an interim stay is granted,” Friedman wrote.
The trial resulted from James suing Trump, his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and their namesake corporation for $250 million. Engoron has already ruled they committed fraud for years in overvaluing real-estate properties for more favorable loans, and he is now considering what damages to impose.
Engoron ordered the cancellation of Trump’s business certificates, which could end his business in New York state. But that part of the decision is on hold while Trump appeals.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Engoron and Greenfield as partisans…
