Trump's lawyers urge a judge to reject media request to broadcast his arraignment.
In a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant, Donald Trump's attorneys have opposed a request by media outlets to broadcast the former president's arraignment on Tuesday. The request would allow live coverage of the proceedings, including cameras and audio, but Trump's lawyers claim it would create a "circus-like atmosphere" and raise unique security concerns.
The team, led by Todd Blanche, who recently joined the former president's legal team, argue that allowing video or photography of the arraignment would only heighten these serious concerns. They cite Secret Service-related concerns and point to the potential for pre-judgment publicity to sway public opinion in their favor.
In response, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said it was deferring to the judge's decision on how best to manage the courtroom. However, they noted that there is no categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law.
The prosecutors pointed out that a similar request was made for the 2021 arraignment in the tax fraud case against Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg, but Judge Merchant allowed only a limited number of still photographs to be taken prior to the commencement of proceedings.
In a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant, Donald Trump's attorneys have opposed a request by media outlets to broadcast the former president's arraignment on Tuesday. The request would allow live coverage of the proceedings, including cameras and audio, but Trump's lawyers claim it would create a "circus-like atmosphere" and raise unique security concerns.
The team, led by Todd Blanche, who recently joined the former president's legal team, argue that allowing video or photography of the arraignment would only heighten these serious concerns. They cite Secret Service-related concerns and point to the potential for pre-judgment publicity to sway public opinion in their favor.
In response, the Manhattan District Attorney's office said it was deferring to the judge's decision on how best to manage the courtroom. However, they noted that there is no categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law.
The prosecutors pointed out that a similar request was made for the 2021 arraignment in the tax fraud case against Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg, but Judge Merchant allowed only a limited number of still photographs to be taken prior to the commencement of proceedings.
it's gonna be like a circus, but instead of clowns, there'll be lawyers trying not to get distracted by his hair 
and the manhattan DA is just over here like "we'll let the judge decide" 
I mean, who needs cameras when you've got trump's face in court? it's gonna be like a trainwreck that you can't look away from 
and honestly, I'm kinda curious to see if his lawyers' security concerns are legit or just an excuse for not wanting him to get roasted 
. But still, as long as it's not causing chaos or anything like that... I guess it's all about managing expectations and keeping the drama to a minimum 
I think it's kinda weird that Trump's lawyers are trying to block live coverage of his arraignment. Like, isn't transparency supposed to be all about keeping things open and honest? 
On the other hand, I get what they're saying about security concerns... having cameras in there could definitely make things pretty chaotic 
But at the same time, it's a public figure like Trump who's being arraigned for some pretty serious stuff. Shouldn't we want to see that go down? 
. I get it, security concerns and all that, but it feels like they're trying to create some kind of spectacle here. And what's with the "circus-like atmosphere" excuse? Is that even a thing? 
. Like, what even is that supposed to mean? That the cameras are just gonna run wild and cause chaos or something? I get their concern about security, but come on, it's an arraignment, not a presidential campaign rally 
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. I mean, if it were anyone else, there'd be cameras rolling and reporters buzzing around outside that courtroom in no time 
. Guess you could say this is just another day at the office for Trump 
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! So Trump's lawyers are trying to stifle the truth and keep us from seeing him get what's coming for him. A "circus-like atmosphere" sounds like just an excuse to them... like they're hiding something 
. And I don't buy the security concerns, either - it's not like cameras and audio are gonna compromise the integrity of the proceedings. It's all about controlling the narrative, if you ask me 
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. It's not like this is some secret CIA operation, it's a public court case! And yeah, I get that security concerns might be an issue, but c'mon, the Secret Service already has like, millions of agents on the payroll... 
and btw if he's guilty (which let's be real he probably is) he should be able to take the heat in public 
the public has a right to see how this all goes down and maybe it'll even help him face justice sooner rather than later 
... plus, it'd put an end to all these conspiracy theories circulating online 
they really want to give us a live update on trump's arraignment 
let's hope judge merchant makes a fair decision 
whoever gets the cameras, ill be here cheering them on 