Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) led a group of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives in introducing the Let Trump Speak Act on Thursday.
The bill, filed as H.R.8410, would prohibit judges from issuing gag orders to defendants in any criminal or civil proceeding.
Proud to stand with President Trump. pic.twitter.com/5pYzkckl20
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) May 16, 2024
The bill’s text reads as follows:
No judge of the United States or of any State may issue a gag order to the defendant in any criminal or civil proceedings except to prevent the disclosure of confidential information provided in discovery, to protect the privacy of minors, or as part of a plea agreement.
Anyone issued a gag order in violation of this Act may commence a civil action seeking injunctive relief in the appropriate United States district court.
Nothing in this Act may be construed as limiting a judge’s authority to issue orders to officers of the court.
“We have watched for years as a politically weaponized Department of Justice and Democrat activist judges have gone after President Donald J. Trump,” Ogles said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “There is no right more sacred to Americans than the right to speak freely, as guaranteed in the First Amendment.”
We are witnessing unprecedented actions of election interference emanating directly from the White House that are more akin to dictatorships. I’m proud to stand with President Trump in New York today and fight against this political persecution. pic.twitter.com/0rYKtpbqOg
— Congressman Andy Ogles (@AndyOgles) May 16, 2024
Ogles’ bill comes as he and a group of Republicans traveled to New York on Thursday to attend former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial.
On Tuesday, the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court rejected the former president’s attempt to end a gag order that has prevented him from speaking publicly about many aspects of the case.
“We are witnessing unprecedented actions of election interference emanating directly from the White House that are more akin to dictatorships. I’m proud to stand with President Trump in New York today and fight against this political persecution,” Ogles said in an X post.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
