UPDATE 1 – Judge reinstates confidentiality in federal election case against Trump
(Adds background information in paragraphs 2-6)
WASHINGTON, Oct 29 (Reuters) – A federal judge on Sunday reinstated a gag order imposed on Donald Trump in the Washington case, accusing him of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat and denying his request for a stay until the appeal.
The order barred Trump from targeting the special counsel prosecuting his case or witnesses who might be called to testify about his efforts to overturn his election loss.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan imposed the gag order at the request of the Justice Department. She temporarily lifted it on October 20 after Trump’s lawyers appealed. And she reversed that decision Sunday evening, according to court filings.
A copy of the judge’s order reinstating the gag was not immediately available.
Trump has in the past called special counsel Jack Smith a “crazy lunatic” and a “thug,” among other things. Trump is facing four criminal charges and has made disparaging comments about the prosecutors in each of those cases, as well as the New York state attorney general who filed civil fraud charges against him.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he plotted to unlawfully interfere in the vote count and block Congress’ certification of his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb, Editing by Michelle Nichols and Diane Craft)
