Kind of a preview of how shell run her court and this case. And in deciding whether to grant Special Counsel jack smiths request for protective order limiting what the disgraced expresident can and cannot say publicly about the case, judge chutkan cuts through Talking Points like a hot knife through butter. On the First Amendment protections, they are so fond of citing, mr. Trump, like every american, has a First Amendment right to free speech. But that right is not absolute. Adding that without a protective order, the disclosure of discovery materials could lead to witnesses being harassed or otherwise interfering with a fair trial. What about the fact that trump is running for president. And chutkan did not mince words on that eithe saying, this is a criminal trial and i will not take into consideration the impact will have for have for a political came on either side. He will have all of the rights hesen tieptled to. The existence is not going to have any bearing on my decision. I i
prejudice potential jurors could threaten the process. the more inflammatory statements, the greater the urgency will be that we proceed to trial quickly. she knows who she is dealing with here. she does. she absolutely knows who she s dealing with. and she s also drawing a distinction between the protective order, which governors the use of discovery or evidence in the case, and the obligations that are incumbent ton trump and his lawyers not to intimidate witnesses or tamper with the jury pool irrespective of whether the threats concern them and she s saying your client has a condition of release, he s a free person right now because of those conditions. and if he intimidates witnesses, tampers with the joor jury pool and shares investigation or threatens the fair administration of justice in my watch, that is not going to fly with me.