http://www.cnn.com/2024/03/29/politics/federal-judge-donald-trump-rebuke/index.html
“It’s very disconcerting to have someone making comments about a judge, and it’s particularly problematic when those comments are in the form of a threat, especially if they’re directed at one’s family,” said Walton, who has also faced threats, as has his daughter. “We do these jobs because we’re committed to the rule of law and we believe in the rule of law, and the rule of law can only function effectively when we have judges who are prepared to carry out their duties without the threat of potential physical harm.”
“I think it’s important in order to preserve our democracy that we maintain the rule of law,” Walton said in the interview. “And the rule of law can only be maintained if we have independent judicial officers who are able to do their job and ensure that the laws are, in fact, enforced and that the laws are applied equally to everybody who appears in our courthouse.”
“I think it’s important that, as judges, we speak out and say things in reference to things that conceivably are going to impact on the process, because if we don’t have a viable court system that’s able to function efficiently, then we have tyranny. And I don’t think that would be good for the future of our country, and the future of democracy in our country,” he continued.
In addition to the New York case and other legal matters, Trump is criminally charged in a federal election interference case, where he faces a likely trial in the courtroom of Judge Tanya Chutkan, one of Walton’s colleagues in the DC District Court. A gag order on Trump in his federal 2020 election case that limits his ability to speak about court staff in a way that could influence his case has been upheld by the appeals courts. Yet Trump continues to rail about judges and others involved in his court cases elsewhere when gag orders don’t limit him. The use of court-imposed gag orders against him have become more widespread in recent months as the former president heads toward criminal trials and because of the history of documented threats his public attacks have inspired.
In New York, Trump has repeatedly attacked District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case and those involved with it ahead of what would be the first criminal trial of a former president. Trump criticized Merchan, his daughter and one of Bragg’s prosecutors in the hours before Merchan issued his gag order. In the order – which does not prevent Trump from talking about Bragg, who is a public figure, or Merchan himself – Merchan cited “a sufficient risk to the administration of justice … and there exists no less restrictive means to prevent such risk.” |
