Trump promises to continue talking about criminal cases despite prosecutors pushing for a protective order

WINDHAM, NH (AP) – Former President Donald Trump continued his attacks on Special Counsel Jack Smith Tuesday and vowed to continue speaking out about his criminal cases Prosecutors applied for a protection order to limit the evidence Trump and his team could share.

In the state of New Hampshire with an early vote, a week after he was charged with a felony over his efforts, Trump branded Smith a “thug prosecutor” and a “crazy guy.” to reverse the results of the 2020 election ahead of the US Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.

The former president accused Smith of the insults just days after the Justice Department asked a judge to approve a protective order barring Trump from publicly disclosing evidence. Federal prosecutors allege that Trump is trying to “try the case in the media rather than in the courtroom.”

The judge in charge of the case has scheduled a protective order hearing for Friday morning. After his rally on Tuesday, Trump published a post on his social network in which he attacked the judge, US District Judge Tanya Chutkan.

Trumps Lawyers have argued that The proposed order is too broad and would limit his First Amendment right to free speech, Trump reiterated on stage Tuesday.

“I will talk about it. You’re not taking my First Amendment away from me,” Trump said during a rally at a high school in the southeastern city of Windham, New Hampshire.

The former president said he needed to be able to answer reporters’ questions about the case during the campaign – something he didn’t make a habit of – citing the film 2000 Mules that was being made various debunked claims about absentee ballots, mailboxes and ballot collection in the 2020 presidential election.

“All of that will come up during this process,” Trump said.

In the four-stage indictment filed against Trump last week, the Justice Department accused him of orchestrating a plan to block the peaceful transfer of power. Several people in trusted positions told him his claims were false, prosecutors said, but he circulated them anyway to stoke public suspicion about the election.

Trump, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, repeated his lies about the election on Tuesday. despite the fact that numerous federal and local election officials from both parties, a long list of courts, senior campaign veterans and even his Attorney General have said there is no evidence of the fraud he alleges.

“There wasn’t a second of the day that I didn’t believe that this election was rigged. “It was a rigged election and it was a stolen, disgusting election and this country should be ashamed of itself,” Trump said.

Trump, who also faces charges in Florida and New York, is preparing for one Possible fourth charge, in a case from Fulton County, Georgia, for alleged efforts by him and his allies to illegally interfere in that state’s 2020 election. District Attorney Fani Willis has signaled charges are likely to be filed in the case later this month.

Alluding to this Tuesday, Trump predicted that in relation to the indictments “there should be four sometime next week.” He also launched a very personal attack on Willis, who is Black, calling the 52-year-old prosecutor “a young woman.” , a young racist in Atlanta”.

“She has many problems. But she wants to sue me because I’m trying to run for another office,” he said.

A spokesman for Willis declined to comment.

Beyond his criminal cases Trump faces multiple civil lawsuits making their way through the courts.

Though he usually brags that his legal woes are only improving his campaign prospects, on Tuesday he made a rare admission about the toll they are taking. His political commitment has spent more than $40 million on legal fees so far this year, according to recent disclosures on campaign finance.

Trump, who has portrayed the investigations as politically motivated, said they forced him to “spend time and money off the campaign trail fighting fabricated allegations and allegations.”

“That’s what they do. “I’m sorry, I can’t go to Iowa today.” “I won’t be able to go to New Hampshire today,” he said. “Because I’m in a courtroom because it’s bullshit.”

The crowd cheered and erupted in shouts of “Bull-—!”

Trump smiled and shook his head while watching the crowd chant.

“Thank you,” he said.

Price reported from New York. Associated Press writer Kate Brumback of Atlanta contributed to this report.