Trump's past impeachment lawyer Robert Ray supports maintaining ex-prez's gag order until sentencing
WASHINGTON, DC: Robert Ray, who served as an impeachment lawyer for Donald Trump, has agreed with prosecutors on keeping the hush money gag order in place through the former president's sentencing on July 11.
During his appearance on CNN's NewsNight on Friday, June 21, Ray said, “The case isn’t over until the sentencing is heard and sentence is imposed."
Robert Ray says Donald Trump's gag order will ensure safety
Speaking about Trump's gag order, Ray said, “I have absolutely no problem, frankly, with the prosecutors’ real concern about safety."
“And look, there are wingnuts out there in the period of time between now and when the trial court’s role in this case ends,” the lawyer continued.
“I don’t think it’s worth taking the chance that anybody could do harm to any of the court personnel, the judge’s staff, most importantly, the judge, and certainly the district attorney and his staff," he added.
Donald Trump's hush money conviction and gag order
Ray's comments follow Trump's conviction in the hush money case on May 30.
He was found guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to silence allegations of an affair before the 2016 elections.
The former president denied the allegations and declared he would appeal the criminal case, according to The Hill.
Following his conviction, Trump challenged the gag order which prevented him from publicly commenting about the case witnesses, court staff, jurors, or Judge Juan Merchan’s family.
The order does not protect Merchan or Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg from the attacks.
According to a filing, prosecutors have asked the judge to keep the gag order in place, citing over 50 threats made against officials connected to the case.
On Tuesday, June 18, Trump's request to lift the gag order was dismissed by the New York Court of Appeals.
A brief order read that there was “no substantial constitutional question raised by the appeal.”
Trump's lawyers suggested that the hush money trial's conclusion should alleviate concerns about protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
Robert Ray takes 'better safe than sorry' approach
Underscoring the prudence of maintaining the gag order, Ray said, “My view of that is better safe than sorry."
“And so, any gag order that would help lend itself to calming the temperature here and getting us safely through this proceeding, I think is the right course," he added.
After Trump violated his gag order for the 10th time during the hush money trial by attacking key witnesses, Judge Merchan held the former president in contempt of the court.
The judge fined Trump $1,000 per violation and also threatened jail time for future breaches.
