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Appeals court denies Trump’s request to review limited gag order in federal election interference case

By Alexander Mallin and Katherine Faulders, ABC News Jan 24, 2024 | 5:00 AM
Former President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event at Rochester Opera House in Rochester, N.H, Jan. 21, 2024. (Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — The full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals said Tuesday it will not take up an appeal from former President Donald Trump of the limited gag order placed on him in his federal election interference case, according to a new court filing.

The ruling, which did not include any accompanying opinion, means Trump could now seek to appeal the issue to the Supreme Court.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in October granted part of the government’s request for a narrowly tailored gag order against Trump, prohibiting him from making or “reposting” statements “publicly targeting” the special counsel and his staff, as well as Chutkan’s staff and the staff of other D.C. district court personnel.

After temporarily halting the limited gag order following Trump’s appeal of her order, the judge then reinstated the limited gag order in response to Trump’s social media comments regarding his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows.

Trump in August pleaded not guilty to charges of undertaking a “criminal scheme” to overturn the results of the 2020 election by enlisting a slate of so-called “fake electors,” using the Justice Department to conduct “sham election crime investigations,” trying to enlist the vice president to “alter the election results,” and promoting false claims of a stolen election as the Jan. 6 riot raged — all in an effort to subvert democracy and remain in power.

The former president has denied all wrongdoing and denounced the charges as political.

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