Donald Trump criticizes prosecutor Matthew Colangelo without naming him outside court on May 16, 2024 (Fox News/screengrab)
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday outside of the hush-money trial courtroom criticized one of the prosecutors not named Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg (D), in apparent defiance of a gag order restricting such statements.
With his defense attorney Todd Blanche looking on and Republican lawmakers, like Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida standing in the background, Trump asserted that he is essentially being prosecuted by the Biden administration at the state level because a former DOJ lawyer, Matthew Colangelo, is “running the trial” against him on behalf of Bragg’s office.
Trump wraps up his morning rant by attacking one of the prosecutors, Colangelo, which is a flagrant violation of his gag order pic.twitter.com/jEKmkr7pfF
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 16, 2024
Trump goes after prosecutor Matthew Colangelo, without naming him. “A lead person from the Department of Justice is running the trial, so Biden’s office is running the trial.” Trump is barred from attacking prosecutors — with the exception of Alvin Bragg — in the gag order.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 16, 2024
“In fact, a lead person from the DOJ is running the trial. So, Biden’s office is running this trial,” Trump said, without naming Colangelo but nonetheless making it clear who he was talking about. “This trial is a scam, and it’s a sham, and it shouldn’t happen. Thank you very much, we’ll see you later.”
Colangelo, a lead prosecutor in the case, was criticized one day earlier by Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, largely raising the same complaints that Trump repeated outside of court.
A Wednesday press release from Jordan’s office demanded that New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) produce documents on her former Chief Counsel for Federal Initiatives, claiming that Colangelo’s “recent employment history demonstrates his obsession with investigating a person rather than prosecuting a crime.”
The press release said there is a “perception that the Biden DOJ is assisting in District Attorney Bragg’s prosecution” of Trump, as evidenced by Colangelo’s involvement.
More Law&Crime coverage: Trump gag order upheld in hush-money case as appeals court cites Jan. 6 judge’s instruction to keep witnesses ‘free from threats, intimidation, harassment, and harm’
Of note, Trump’s gag order specifically bars him from “making or directing others to make public statements” about “counsel in the case other than the District Attorney” if “those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere” with the case.
Trump’s trial judge, Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, recently reminded the defendant that “jail may be a necessary punishment” if he continues violating the gag order, as the judge found him to have done numerous times.
At the same time, the judge said jailing Trump is the “last thing I want to do.”
It bears watching whether the DA’s office will bring the Trump remarks about Colangelo up.
To be clear, Trump only violated the gag order if (a) the DA brings an alleged violation to the judge’s attention and (b) the judge finds Trump crossed a line.
Here’s the line reporters flagged, arguably referring to ADA Matthew Colangelo.
See line (b)(1) of 2nd screenshot pic.twitter.com/Gbhm98DgM0
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 16, 2024
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