Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is touting a new bill that would prohibit judges from issuing gag orders against defendants in most civil and criminal cases.
The bill, known as the “Let Trump Talk Act,” comes as former President Trump continues to resist a gag order in his ongoing hush money criminal trial in New York.
Ogles said in an interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Monday that the bill aims to target gag orders that are “obviously politically motivated.” The bill would also establish a right to sue, which Ogles said would give defendants grounds to sue “because their rights have been violated.”
Mr. Ogles, who attended Mr. Trump’s trial last week, harshly criticized the prosecution in the hush money case, saying in an interview, “This trial proves to be nothing more than a political witch hunt.”
“That’s enough,” Ogles continued. “Mr. Trump should be acquitted. He should go back to campaigning and that’s it. They’re trying to keep him out of the campaign and keep him in court.”
President Trump has slammed the speech control order, saying it violates his First Amendment rights and prevents him from responding to political attacks by prominent witnesses and others.
Under the gag order, President Trump is prohibited from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court officials or Judge Juan Merchan’s family. The gag order does not prevent the former president from attacking Mr. Marchand or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.
President Trump asked the New York State Supreme Court to intervene in the fight against the gag order last week, a day after a lower court upheld it.
Marchand determined that Trump had violated the gag order 10 times since it was issued, fined him $1,000 for each violation and warned that future violations could result in prison time. did.
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