U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton is expressing disapproval of former President Trump's criticisms of the judges involved in his criminal cases, particularly the recent hush money trial, cautioning that undermining an independent judiciary could lead the country toward tyranny.
Walton spoke with CNN's Kaitlan Collins about Trump's aggressive comments regarding the families of his perceived adversaries in his legal battles. Trump's most recent focus is on Judge Juan Merchan's daughter, the New York state official overseeing his criminal trial related to hush money payments made to an adult film actress to conceal an alleged affair before the 2016 election. “It’s very disconcerting to have someone making comments about a judge. And it’s particularly problematic when those comments are in the form of a threat, especially if they’re directed at one’s family,”
“We do these jobs because we’re committed to the rule of law and we believe in the rule of law, which can only function effectively when judges are ready to fulfill their duties without the threat of potential physical harm,” he said.
Loren Merchan, Judge Merchan's daughter, previously held a position at Authentic Campaigns, a progressive political consulting firm that worked for prominent Democrats, including President Biden.
There was an account on X, previously known as Twitter, that seemed to belong to Loren Merchan and at one point used a photo illustration of Trump in prison as its profile picture. Trump criticized both the judge and his daughter on his Truth Social site.
Earlier this week, Merchan placed a gag order on the former president, restricting what he can publicly say about the case. Merchan and his daughter are exempt from the order.
Walton argued that judges cannot allow threats to impact “how you live your life and how you treat litigants” but stated that the threats are an “attack on the rule of law.” “I believe it’s crucial that, as judges, we speak out and address issues that could potentially impact the process, because without a viable court system that can function efficiently, we risk tyranny,” he stated. However, he added that it's a new reality that judges are confronted with, citing several other instances where judges and their family members have encountered potential violence.
Walton declined to elaborate on the political implications of Trump, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, making the comments, but stated that it's crucial for people in positions of power to understand how their statements resonate with others.
“So, I think it’s very important that people in positions of authority be fairly cautious about what they say, so that they don't prompt others to act on their words and potentially cause harm or death to someone as a result,” he stated.
The trial for Trump's secret payment case is scheduled for April 15, as determined by Merchan on Monday. Merchan denied the former president's efforts to postpone it beyond the November election.
Former President Trump's criticism of the judges handling his criminal cases, including his secret payment trial, is being condemned by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. Walton cautioned that undermining a free judiciary could lead the country toward tyranny. Walton joined CNN's Kaitlan Collins to talk about Trump's strong comments regarding the families of individuals he sees as enemies in…
“So, I think it’s very important that people in positions of authority be fairly circumspect in reference to the things that they say, so that they’re not causing others to act on what they say and maybe cause injury or death to someone as a result of that,” he said.
Trump’s hush money case is set to go to trial April 15, Merchan determined Monday, denying the former president’s attempts to further delay it past the November election.
