Scott Gurvey's Public Offerings

On Monday New York Judge Juan Merchan scheduled a trial beginning April 15 of Donald Trump on charges he falsified business records to cover up making a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly made during the 2016 presidential campaign to prevent Daniels from speaking publicly about her claims of having an affair with him. It will be the first-ever criminal trial of a fomer U.S. president.

Tuesday morning Trump took to his Truth Social online account to attack not only Judge Merchan but also Merchan’s daughter. Tuesday afternoon Merchan issued a gag order restricting Trump’s future posts about the trial.

The order prevents Trump from publicly attacking witnesses, jurors and others. during what is slated to be the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. It still enables Trump to publicly attack the judge and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D). But it prevents the former president from making public statements about witnesses, other prosecutors, court staff and their family members “if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with” the case. “The uncontested record reflecting the Defendant’s prior extrajudicial statements establishes a sufficient risk to the administration of justice,” Merchan wrote. By Wednesday Trump had again taken to his social media service to attack the judge and the judge’s daughter.

A sane person would think it is not a good strategy to attack a judge about to put you on trial. But no one ever accused Trump or his supporters of being sane. Rhetoric that is rude, crude, violent, and disrespectful of authority is standard for the Republican creature seeking a second term as president.

One week ago, the political class was occupied with a debate over the real meaning of words Trump spoke at a campaign rally in Ohio. Referencing Biden administration policy to encourage the use of electronic vehicles, Trump predicted a “bloodbath” as a result. Here is the text in full context:

Trump, March 16: China now is building a couple of massive plants where they’re going to build the cars in Mexico and think, they think, that they’re going to sell those cars into the United States with no tax at the border. Let me tell you something to China, if you’re listening President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal. Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now, and you think you’re going to get that, you’re going to not hire Americans, and you’re going to sell the cars to us? No. We’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you’re not going to be able to sell those cars. If I get elected. Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath, for the whole — that’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That’ll be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars.

Is this an incitement to violence critics ask, pointing to the phrase, “That’ll be the least of it”? Nonsense claim Trump supporters, saying the reference to a “bloodbath” was merely a prediction of ruin for the car industry.

For me, patience wore out long ago. If you want to give Trump the benefit of the doubt, you could easily read the left-wing caterwauling about the “bloodbath” to be an overreaction. But considering the history of Trump’s inciteful statements, who can be sure?

His dehumanizing of immigrants (“I don’t know if you call them people … In some cases, they’re not people, in my opinion”), saluting the traitorous Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionists (before their “anthem” played), referencing January 6 convicted criminals as “hostages” added to the bloodbath imagery in Ohio triggered some of his harshest coverage. Moreover, when given a chance to repudiate Nazi phrases (“poisoning our blood”), he refused.

And just as icing on the cake, Trump decided to open his big mouth and inject himself into the debate among American’s Jewish population over their position on the Israeli war against Hamas.

Speaking with right-wing radio host Sebastian Gorka, Trump was asked why Democrats like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) “hate” (Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu, a reference to Schumer’s recent call for new elections in Israel. “I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded. “And the Democrat Party hates Israel.” He suggested Schumer, who is Jewish, has become “very anti-Israel” for political reasons, citing large pro-Palestinian protests across the country amid violence in Gaza. “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed,” Trump said.

If only a judge could put a complete and total gag on the big MAGA mouth.

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