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Trump loses appeal of gag order in New York “hush money” case
A gag order put in place before former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York will remain through his sentencing in September, an appeals court ruled Thursday.
Trump has repeatedly challenged the order, which currently bars him from commenting publicly on prosecutors and court staff involved in the case, and their families. It originally also prevented him from talking about witnesses and jurors, but those restrictions were removed shortly after Trump’s May 30 felony conviction.
Trump has been free to criticize Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Justice Juan Merchan, the judge presiding over the case.
The Republican presidential nominee’s latest challenge to the gag was filed after his unanimous jury conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. His lawyers argued the gag order should have been dispelled with the end of his trial.
New York’s Appellate Division, First Judicial Department — the state’s second highest court — disagreed.
Trump’s “contention that the conclusion of trial constitutes a change in circumstances warranting termination of the remaining Restraining Order provision is unavailing,” the appellate panel wrote.
The appellate court concluded that the gag order should remain in place until Trump is sentenced.
“The fair administration of justice necessarily includes sentencing, which is ‘a critical stage of the criminal proceeding,'” they wrote.
An attorney for Trump did not immediately return a request for comment.
Trump was originally scheduled to be sentenced July 11, but that date was pushed back after he filed a motion to set aside his conviction, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision related to presidential immunity.
Merchan said he will issue a decision on Trump’s motion on Sept. 6, and if he rejects it, leaving the conviction in place, will sentence Trump on Sept. 18.
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A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
