It’s too difficult to write a real article summarizing the shitshow that was Monday’s hearing in DC Judge Tanya Chutkan’s courtroom as she weighed a motion from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith’s team to slap disgraced former President Trump with a gag order ahead of his trial in the district for his post-2020 election coup attempt conspiracy, so let’s just try to go in a straight line as sourced from top talent present in the courtroom such as CBS’s Scott MacFarlane and Politico’s Kyle Cheney. It’s already going pretty badly for the fat bastard:
Trump Defense lawyer John Lauro started off by arguing his client is “entitled to speak truth to oppression.. he’s even allowed to say things insulting to these prosecutors..as difficult as it may be for them to hear,” before mentioning something about “tyranny and the Biden Administration,” to which Chutkan cut Lauro off, saying she doesn’t want to hear “campaign rhetoric.”
Chutkan then told Lauro “Mr Trump is a criminal defendant. He is facing four felony charges. He is under the supervision of the criminal justice sytem and he must comply with the conditions of release. He does not have the right to say and do exactly as he pleases,” and that she’s not moving the trial start date. March 4, 2024 stands, deal with it loser.
Lauro then complained that any gag order would be “asymmetrical” and wouldn’t apply to Joe Biden. Chutkan then reminded him that “Joe Biden isn’t a party to this case… And he’s not under release conditions.” She then checked his whining with “Mr Lauro, let’s tone this down a bit.”
Chutkan went through five different categories of shitposting by Trump: DC/the jury pool, Biden Administration, Jack Smith, Judges/their staffs, and political witnesses.
On the DC/jury part Lauro ended up admitting it might help the prosecution to bias the jury against Trump, to which Chutkan noted it “Well those statements can be a double-edged sword in light of a motion to change venue.” Chutkan then told Lauro to shut up about “censorship.”
For the Biden Administration, the prosecutors said Donald “can criticize President Biden to his heart’s content. President Biden has nothing to do with this case,” echoing Chutkan.
Lauro then whined that Hunter Biden has more rights to free speech something, adding “George Orwell would have a field day,” to which Chutkan said “Yeah, Orwell would have a field day.”
Chutkan then asked Lauro “In what kind of case do you think it’s appropriate for a defendant to call a prosecutor a thug… and remain on the streets?… Just because this defendant happens to be running a political campaign doesn’t give him the right to use any language he wants. Tell me how the term ‘thug’ is justified here… its raises a real possibility of violence,” to which Lauro bitched something about “oppression” and “tyranny,” adding “in President Trump’s mind… he’s facing every possible right being taken away from him.” When asked why Trump should be allowed to attack Jack Smith’s family members like his wife and sister-in-law, Lauro said his fat client “is certainly entitled to describe why he believes this prosecution is politically motivated.”
Next Chutkan asked “Do you think a defendant posting a photo of a judge’s law clerk on social media is acceptable? Or Mr Trump to post a photo of my staff?” to which Lauro replied “I’d advise him strongly not to do that.” Chutkan then said “That’s not an answer to my question,” adding “I want the parties’ position on why I shouldn’t issue a similar order.”
Lauro then claimed there were issues “of judicial bias” that defense “has raised respectfully.”
Later Chutkan asked Lauro point blank “Can Trump lawfully say [Bill] Barr should be executed?” to which Lauro answered “I would advise against statements like that,” but not saying if he has.
“We’re in here because he keeps calling the prosecutors thugs… I’m not sure without some type of restriction, we won’t be in here all the time” Chutkan said before she called a recess, which MacFarlane says “Significantly raising the prospect she’ll rule TODAY.” This might be happening…