Jack Smith Moves to Muzzle Trump

trump obviously does not know when to shutup. But then, how do you punish an x-president? He is not the same as you or I who can be locked up with ease. Well today and as requested by the DOJ’s Jack Smith, a protective order was requested “limiting Trump’s access to evidence, in a move similar to what Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg” has done. This is being reported by Rolling Stone’s Nikki McCann Ramirez.

Jack Smith is Moving to Muzzle Trump. The Special Counsel submitted a request Friday for a protective order “against the dissemination of discovery materials and the sensitive information that they contain.” This is in relation to the Justice Department’s criminal case against former President Donald Trump. The order would directly prevent Trump from disclosing evidence and materials shared with him and his legal team by the DOJ to the public. 

As you alread know . . . Trump was arrested and arraigned in Miami on Tuesday on 37 criminal counts including violations of the espionage act, conspiracy to obstruct justice, corruptly concealing a record or document, and concealing a document in a federal investigation. The charges were brought by the DOJ as a result of their months-long investigation into Trump’s hoarding of classified documents following his departure from office. 

As the case moves into discovery, Smith is seeking to protect materials that may be provided to Trump’s defense team that could potentially contain “information pertaining to ongoing investigations, the disclosure of which could compromise those investigations and identify uncharged individuals.” 

According to the filing, “the government has conferred with counsel for Defendant Donald J. Trump and Defendant Waltine Nauta, who have no objections to this motion or the protective order.” 

The order would require that materials provided to Trump’s team remain “in the custody and control of Defense Counsel,” and that the former president’s attorneys must securely store the materials and “make it clear that the materials are subject to the Order.” The order is likely explicit given that a significant portion of the government’s case against Trump revolves around the insecure storage of highly classified and sensitive information. 

Furthermore, the order bars Trump, his co-defendant Walt Nauta, and his legal counsel from “[disclosing] the Discovery Materials or their contents directly or indirectly to any person or entity other than persons employed to assist in the defense, persons who are interviewed as potential witnesses, counsel for potential witnesses, and other persons to whom the Court may authorize disclosure.” This includes a direct prohibition against sharing materials with the public or media – including through social media platforms. 

Trump will only be allowed to view materials “under the direct supervision of Defense Counsel or a member of Defense Counsel’s staff.” He may not retain any copies of what’s shown to him, and his notes must be stored “securely” by his lawyers. 

AB: This is going to be interesting, Once he reads it, how do you stop his babbling? Are they prepared to lock him up in order to restrain his mouth?