JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has filed a brief with 23 other states urging the Court to deny Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s request for a gag order on President Trump. According to Bailey, the gag order would violate the First Amendment by restricting Trump's ability to speak freely during the election season and preventing Americans from hearing open debate from presidential candidates. It would also prevent Trump from criticizing the raid on his home at Mar-a-Lago.
“Missouri has long been a champion of free speech. A gag order on President Trump violates not only his First Amendment right to speak, but Americans’ right to hear from a presidential candidate in the height of election season,” said Attorney General Bailey. “I will always use every tool at my disposal to defend our right to free speech, the bedrock of our great nation.”
This brief is part of a series of actions taken by Attorney General Bailey regarding legal proceedings against President Trump. These actions include launching an investigation into Biden’s Department of Justice, testifying before Congress about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution, calling on Congress to defund the Vera Institute, and filing multiple briefs related to various cases involving Trump.
The states joining Missouri in filing the brief are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.