Trump Says ‘Constitution’ Is More Important Than Jail

Former President Donald Trump said Monday that “our constitution is much more important than jail” after being threatened with imprisonment over a gag order.

Trump made the statement outside of the Manhattan, New York, courthouse after the 12th day of his criminal trial for allegedly falsifying business records, according to Newsmax. Trump was fined $1,000 on Monday morning for violating his gag order for apparently the 10th time, with Justice Juan Merchan threatening jail time as a “last resort” if Trump continued to speak his truth.

“And then you have the other thing that maybe is even more disgraceful is the gag order. Where I can’t, basically, I have to watch every word I tell you people,” Trump told reporters. “You ask me a question, a simple question, I’d like to give it, but I can’t talk about it. Because this judge is giving me a gag order then say, ‘You’ll go to jail if you violate it. And frankly, you know what, our Constitution is much more important than jail. It’s not even close. I’ll do that sacrifice any day.” (LEARN MORE: Street Preacher Wins Settlement Over Free Speech)

What Else Did Trump Say?

“I should be out there campaigning and they said ‘two, and the way I look at it, you’re really talking about three weeks more,'” Trump continued, noting that prosecutors requested two or three more weeks to press their case. “And by the way, they didn’t even have enough to fill out the time. You know, we got out early today because they didn’t have another witness. The government didn’t have another witness. So they didn’t even have time to fill it out. And then they complain.”

“So I’ll tell you what, I hope you report the story accurately. This is a real threat to our country,” he added, seeming to suggest that the trial was an attack against free speech and freedom in general. (LEARN MORE: WATCH: Glenn Beck’s FREE Special With Million Voices)

Trump is currently on trial for allegedly falsifying records to cover up a $130,000 payment made to a former adult film star who calls herself Stormy Daniels. Trump denies any relation to Daniels and has pleaded not guilty in the trial.

What Is A Gag Order?

A gag order is when a judge orders that a trial not be discussed in public. Most of the time, a gag order can be upheld based on a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to a fair trail. This trial is particularly complicated, given the strange political nature of the way it is being run. However, there is one thing we can all agree on: Your First Amendment right to Free Speech.

Along with advocating for accountability in our judicial systems, we at Million Voices know the most important part of being an American is our right to free speech. Sometimes our lawmakers forget the importance of this right, so let’s remind them today.

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