A federal appeals court has temporarily suspended the gag order issued in the partisan election subversion case against former President Donald Trump. The decision came Friday after Trump’s legal team submitted an emergency motion. The order, administered by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, dictates that the partial gag order issued by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan last month will be “administratively stayed pending further order of the court.” The initial order from Judge Chutkan, dated October 17, restricted all parties from making statements that could potentially target prosecutors, staff, or witnesses involved in the case.
The recent order from the appellate panel marks the second interruption of Chutkan’s gag order since its issuance.
The appellate panel noted in their two-page order that the purpose of the administrative stay is not a ruling on Trump’s emergency motion but instead allows necessary time to consider it. The panel has scheduled tightened proceedings on the emergency motion. Trump’s attorneys must file a statement by Nov. 8, after which prosecutors must respond by Nov. 14, to which a reply statement is due Nov. 17, proceeding oral arguments on Nov. 20. Trump, facing four federal felonies and accused of obstructing the 2020 presidential election, has denied all charges; his trial is to commence on March 4th.