Trump is limited in what he can say about his court case. His GOP allies are showing up to help

Former President Donald Trump has been limited in what he can say publicly as he fights charges that he made payments to a porn actor to illegally influence the 2016 election. But he’s getting help from some Republican allies who are happy to show up and talk.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida was Trump’s latest surrogate, joining him Thursday for the 14th day of his hush-money trial in New York. Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee.

The presence of Republicans in the courtroom could help Trump connect with his voters while he is stuck in court and feeling the pressure of a silence order imposed on him by the judge. Both Scott and Paxton have faced their own legal troubles and have spoken out against what they call politically motivated prosecutions — a message that echoes Trump’s. And while having friends by your side is a common practice encouraged by lawyers to show support for defendants in court, it’s also an opportunity for Trump’s friends to publicly declare their loyalty to the leader of the Republican Party. to show.

Scott started his day Thursday as a 6 a.m. guest on the morning show “Fox & Friends.” He later entered the courtroom behind Trump and witnessed the tense exchange between Stormy Daniels and Trump’s lawyer as they discussed the alleged 2006 sexual encounter between the former president and the porn actor.

The senator made his way to the front row of the courtroom behind the defense table, joined Trump’s entourage and spoke with Trump attorney and spokesperson Alina Habba before taking his seat.

After an hour and a half, Scott left the courtroom and walked across the street to talk to news media. There he commented on a topic that Trump was not allowed to do, bringing up Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter and saying she was a political operative who raised money for Democrats.

“This is just a bunch of Democrats saying we want to make sure Donald Trump can’t talk,” Scott said. “Then they have a gag order, so he can’t campaign. They locked him up in a courtroom.”

The silence order prohibits Trump from making public statements or directing others to make public statements about people involved in the case, including the judge’s family.

Scott denied that his presence had anything to do with the gag order.

“No. I’m tired of it,” he said. “This is simply because they don’t want this guy on the ballot.”

Paxton did not speak publicly when he joined Trump last week, but he later gave interviews to Fox Business and Newsmax about the trial, calling it a “perversion of justice.”

“This is tyrannical, and to keep him from speaking out and defending himself and to keep him from actually campaigning, I think it’s hard to believe and I hope the American people won’t tolerate it,” Paxton told Fox Business the next day.

David Weinstein, a legal analyst and former federal prosecutor, said Trump cannot comment directly or indirectly, adding that an indirect comment would include a friend saying something Trump shared or told. But surrogates like Scott are free to speak.

“They can say whatever they want to say. They are not under a gag order,” he said.

Weinstein said that not only will Trump face trial for the crimes he is accused of, but he will also have to appear in court as he tries to win an election.

“He can bring in other people, can show voters from other states that he has the support of other politicians,” he said. “This is a political and public relations tactic. It has nothing to do with his defense.”

Trump’s lawyers have opposed the silence order, saying the former president should be able to respond to Daniels’ testimony. But Merchan denied a request to change it Thursday.

Gustavo Lage, a criminal lawyer, said it is controversial to what extent this silence order applies.

“I think the court would have a hard time saying that a third party cannot express their opinions or feelings about a lawsuit,” Lage said.

As for reaching out to voters by bringing in surrogates and allies, Lage said that shouldn’t be relevant in court.

“I don’t think this is something the court could or should have control over as long as it doesn’t interfere with the administration of justice in the courtroom,” he said.