Juan Mercan has been called «a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family.» from the former president. Photo: Daily Mail
New York authorities assess the need to strengthen the security of the judge appointed to investigate the case of Donald Trump on the silence of money, after supporters of the former president called him an «enemy of the people.»
Mr. Trump launched a verbal attack on Judge Juan Mercan on Tuesday evening, hours after the judge warned the former president against rhetoric «that could provoke violence or civil unrest.»
Speaking from his Florida home hours after being indicted on criminal charges related to alleged payments to Stormy Daniels, Trump called Judge Merchan «a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and a family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris.»
Media reports say the judge's 34-year-old daughter Lauren works for the consulting firm Authentic Campaigns, whose past clients include Ms. Harris.
The judge, a former prosecutor from 16- years of service, directly warned the 76-year-old presidential candidate during his indictment hearing not to make such comments or risk a non-disclosure order.
“We continue to evaluate and re-evaluate security concerns and potential threats,” a spokesman for the New York judiciary told The Telegraph Wednesday. «We have established a heightened security presence in and around courthouses and in the courthouse and will adjust protocols as necessary.»
Trump has been posting veiled threats on his social media pages over the past few weeks against Judge Merchan, as well as Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, who is investigating in New York.
Mr. Trump warned of «potential death and destruction» from the criminal charges against him, called Mr. Bragg an «animal» backed by George Soros, a Jewish financier, and suggested to Judge Merchan, who also oversaw the tax lawsuit Trump family business 'hates' him.
Officials have privately expressed fear that Trump's comments on the case could turn 60-year-old Judge Merchan from Colombia into 'public enemy number one'.
p>On pro-Trump extremist forums, users have lamented the allegations against the former president, with some even vowing revenge. On the website where much of the planning for the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 took place, one user wrote: “This judge belongs to the left. He is an enemy of the people. All involved should be hanged for treason.”
Prosecutors at a hearing on Tuesday detailed to the court one particularly incendiary post made by Mr. Trump, where the former president holds a baseball bat next to a photo of Mr. Bragg.
p>'He didn't swing a baseball bat over the head at anyone'
Joe Tacopina, Mr. Trump's attorney, offered a different characterization of Wednesday's post, saying: «He didn't swing a baseball bat at anyone's head. Someone else hung a picture of the DA next to him.”
He claimed his client's comments were protected by his First Amendment right to free speech. “President Trump listened to the judge, he did nothing to try and incite violence,” Mr. Takopina said. “It is clear that yesterday there was a crazy scene on the street, but there was no violence. He did not call for violence. He did not call for anything.”
Asked about the former president's comments about the judge's family, Mr Takopina told NBC: «This is not an attack on the judge or, of course, his family.
«Nobody is suggesting that something should happen to the judge or his family, and President Trump's comments in no way incite violence against the judge or anyone else.»
New York City spent approximately $200 million to secure the city during the 45-minute presentation charges against Trump in Manhattan Criminal Court. The streets around Manhattan were closed for most of Monday and Tuesday, and NYPD officers escorted Trump's motorcade as he drove to and from the courthouse.
Several officials involved in the case, including Mr. Bragg, already received security information. .
Reports suggest that "Getting to know our team" The page was removed from Mr. Bragg's website this week due to concerns about staff being identified as a threat to the office.
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