The federal judge overseeing the case against former Donald Trump campaign aides Paul Manafort and Rick Gates has issued a gag order in the case.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Wednesday said the order is necessary to limit the impact on potential jurors.
“In order to safeguard defendants’ rights to a fair trial, and to ensure that the court has the ability to seat a jury that has not been tainted by pretrial publicity, all interested participants in the matter, including the parties, any potential witnesses, and counsel for the parties and the witnesses, are hereby ordered to refrain from making statements to the media or in public settings that pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case,” Jackson wrote.
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Last week, she urged the attorneys not to make their case from the courthouse steps.
“This is a criminal trial. It is not a public relations campaign,” Jackson said.
Manafort and Gates were indicted last week on 12 counts, including includes charges of conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money and unregistered agent of a foreign principal. The charges precede their involvement with Trump’s presidential campaign. The two have pleaded not guilty and remain under house arrest.