If President Trump thinks the Russia investigation is a distraction now, he could soon be faced with his worst nightmare: Being unable to comment on the matter at all.
Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman told Politico he thinks Special Counsel Robert Mueller may seek a gag order against Trump to prevent him from trying to interfere with the investigation via Twitter or by speaking to the press:
“This could be grounds for Mueller to obtain a gag order on Trump. It would be unprecedented, but he is interfering with the government’s right to a fair trial.”
Akerman also noted that Trump had defamed a witness in a federal investigation with his comments about former foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, who pled guilty to a charge of lying to the FBI. Papadopoulos also said he attempted to broker a meeting between members of the Trump campaign and Kremlin officials during the 2016 presidential race.
On Tuesday, Trump tweeted out this:
The Fake News is working overtime. As Paul Manaforts lawyer said, there was "no collusion" and events mentioned took place long before he…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017
….came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017
A gag order could only be imposed on Trump if Mueller formally requested one and a federal judge approved the measure. But the federal judge overseeing the case of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and business partner Rick Gates, who were indicted Monday, said she is inclined to impose a gag order in the case. Would she also agree that Trump’s comments could negatively influence the case against Manafort and Gates?
Imagine for a moment Trump being unable to say a word about the investigation, either or Twitter or when asked by reporters. If he did, he would be in violation of a court order and could be charged with both contempt and obstructing justice. How long could Trump go before his head exploded? Is Donald Trump even capable of remaining silent for more than five seconds?
Here’s a suggestion for Mueller and the judge: Along with the gag order, you might want to send several rolls of duct tape to the White House.
This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org