April 3, 2023 Trump indictment news | CNN Politics

Trump's lawyers push back against live broadcast of ex-Presidential arraignment in New York court, citing security concerns.

A New York judge has been asked to deny a request by media outlets to broadcast former President Donald Trump's arraignment on Tuesday. Lawyers for the former president told a judge that they oppose the request due to concerns about creating a "circus-like atmosphere" and raising unique security risks at the court proceeding.

According to their letter, attorneys argue that allowing video or photography of the proceedings will heighten security concerns related to Secret Service protection, making it difficult to ensure public safety. They further stated that the court's authority under New York law allows for the exclusion or restriction of media coverage if necessary to maintain order and avoid prejudice to the defendant.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has also taken a neutral stance on the issue, stating that they will defer to the judge's discretion in managing the arraignment. However, their lawyer pointed out that there is no categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law.

In contrast to Tuesday's request, a similar audio-video broadcasting request was made for the 2021 arraignment in the tax fraud case against Trump Organization and its CFO Allen Weisselberg. The judge allowed a limited number of still photographs to be taken before proceedings commenced in that instance.

As one of the outlets requesting camera access for Tuesday's arraignment, CNN will likely face opposition from Trump's lawyers on these grounds.

I don't get why Trump's team is so worried about security. It's a public court proceeding, after all! They're not exactly hiding anything . And what's with this "circus-like atmosphere" thing? Are they expecting a parade? In my kid's sports games, we have rules to ensure everyone stays safe and respectful. Can't they just follow the same principles here? It's not like the Secret Service isn't up to the task. I'd want my kids to see their leaders being held accountable for their actions - it sets a great example!

omg what if they just let ppl watch live its like democracy or something ... dont wanna create some kinda scene where trump gets all anxious about the cameras, but also i feel like its all good for public interest... can we just get a live stream of it lol?

this is what happens when you make a big show out of everything i mean, come on, it's just an arraignment... security concerns? more like security excuses to keep the drama at bay

I think it's pretty wild that Trump's lawyers are trying to keep the whole thing low-key . Like, what's the worst that could happen if we just show up with cameras and lenses? It's not like they're gonna cause a riot or something . And honestly, can you imagine how awkward it would be if no one was allowed to watch? The drama! I mean, I get where Trump's team is coming from, but security concerns are overblown in my opinion. It's just an arraignment, not a presidential debate . And let's be real, we've seen plenty of other high-profile trials go down with cameras and live feeds without any issues . I hope the judge makes the right call though, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out

trump is at it again ... can't believe his lawyers are trying to limit the public's right to know what's going down in this court. news should be public domain, you know? and if there's some perceived security risk, just deal with it. i mean, we're not talking about a high-risk prisoner here, just a former pres who broke some laws and now has to face the consequences. it's all about accountability .

this is getting crazy . security concerns? come on, it's just a court hearing! can't they handle it? and what about all those ppl who wanna watch this go down live anyway? gonna happen online regardless of if cameras are allowed in the courtroom... it's like they're trying to hide something .

[Image of Grumpy Cat with a crown: "Ugh, security concerns? Really?" ]

[Image of a courtroom with a big X marked through it: "No cameras? More like no circus"]

[A screenshot of Trump making a duck face in front of the White House: "When you try to hide your arraignment from the public... but still can't hide your face"]

[Image of a judge with a concerned expression and a pair of handcuffs on the table: "Just deny it, judge! It's not like you haven't seen this before"]

I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT TRUMP'S LAWYERS GET TO DICTATE HOW THE MEDIA COVERS A PUBLIC EVENT LIKE AN ARRAIGNMENT!!! IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE TRYING TO HIDE SOMETHING FROM US OR ANYTHING! the whole point of having a LIVE BROADCAST IS TO GIVE THE PUBLIC A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND HEAR WHAT TRUMP HAS TO SAY FOR HIMSELF!!!

I don't think it's unreasonable to want some transparency in a high-profile case like this . The idea that allowing cameras into the courtroom would create a "circus-like atmosphere" seems pretty arbitrary. I mean, how much of a circus can an arraignment possibly be? It's not like we're talking about a wedding reception or something .

On the other hand, I get where Trump's lawyers are coming from when it comes to security concerns. You can't just have cameras and photographers everywhere, that would be a logistical nightmare . But at the same time, isn't this whole thing supposed to be about holding people accountable in public? A little bit of transparency wouldn't kill anyone .

It's also kind of ironic that Trump's lawyers are using "public safety" as an excuse to keep us from watching the proceedings. I mean, if there really were some major security risk, you'd think they'd want to take steps to mitigate it, like increasing security measures or something .

can you imagine walking into court and being like "hey let's put all this on live tv" lol no thanks. i feel bad for them though, the security thing makes sense. its not about not wanting to be transparent but about keeping people safe, especially with trump involved. still gonna be interesting to see how this plays out

Ugh, this is soooo concerning I feel like we're already living in a reality TV show and now they're trying to limit our access to actual court proceedings? It's all about control, you know? The drama, the theatrics... can't have that at an arraignment! I get it, security concerns, but come on, this is a public event, too. People have a right to witness justice being served (or not ). And what's next? Will they restrict social media coverage of the trial too? It's all about creating a "circus-like atmosphere"... that sounds suspiciously like a Trump campaign slogan

I'm not surprised by this . It feels like the rich and powerful are trying to shield themselves from accountability once again . This is just another example of how our justice system can be manipulated by those who think they're above the law .

I mean, come on, it's an arraignment, not a high-stakes trial where national security is really at risk . Can't we just have some transparency and public interest in this? It feels like Trump's lawyers are more concerned about their own reputation than the American people .

It's also weird that the DA's office is taking a neutral stance on this, but not speaking out against it either . I guess they're too busy trying to navigate the complex web of laws and court precedents . Either way, I'm rooting for CNN and other outlets that want to broadcast this live – we deserve to see what's going down in our courts!

Come on ... can't Trump's team just chill? I mean, it's an arraignment, not a circus performance ! They're worried about security risks and creating a "circus-like atmosphere" but what's the worst that could happen? A few extra cameras showing up might raise some eyebrows at the courthouse, but how is that gonna make anyone safer? And let's be real, folks already know it's Trump we're talking about here ... the drama is already playing out. The DA's office is just being a bit cautious, but honestly, who can blame 'em? It's not like there's some precedent set for live broadcasting of arraignments or anything . CNN's gonna have to try harder than that to get their cameras in there...

I think it's pretty reasonable that Trump's lawyers are pushing back against live broadcasting his arraignment . I mean, can you imagine the chaos if thousands of people showed up to the courthouse and tried to take pictures or record videos? It's not like this is a normal, everyday court proceeding – it's a high-profile case involving a former president .

And let's be real, security concerns are totally valid. The Secret Service has a tough job protecting public figures like Trump, and adding a bunch of cameras and reporters to the mix could make things way more complicated . I get why they'd want to limit the number of people in attendance or restrict media coverage.

That being said, I do think it's interesting that CNN is taking on Trump's lawyers on this one . I mean, if the court decides to allow some level of media access, it'll be a pretty big deal for journalists and viewers alike . But at the end of the day, safety should always be the top priority – and if that means limiting cameras and reporters, so be it .

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." - FDR

idk why they're being so extra about security like what's the worst that could happen? it's just a few hundred people in a court room, calm down and honestly who doesn't want to see trump getting arraigned live anyway? it's not like he's gonna break out of his handcuffs or something and btw what about all the ppl who wanna watch it online? shouldn't they have a right too?

omg can't believe trump's team is trying to hide this from us what's he hiding? security concerns sound like a load of BS to me, they just don't want us to see the real deal going down in that court I mean come on, it's not like we're gonna get hurt or anything, and cameras are super safe these days. let them broadcast it live, it'll be drama for the ages

I think it's pretty reasonable for Trump's lawyers to express concerns about live broadcasting his arraignment. Security at court proceedings can be a real issue, and creating a "circus-like atmosphere" could potentially put everyone involved at risk. But at the same time, I'm curious why they're not trying to prevent still photos from being taken? It seems like there's a bit of a double standard going on here. If audio-video is allowed in 2021, but not this year, that does seem pretty arbitrary. Maybe CNN and other outlets can try to find some middle ground, like streaming the live broadcast online after it's happened, rather than broadcasting it in real-time? That way, they get their content without potentially compromising security

I'm kinda surprised they're making such a big deal about it. Like, isn't an ex-President supposed to be under public scrutiny or something? I mean, I get the security concerns and all, but it's not like we're talking about some random Joe Shmoe here. It's Donald Trump! The more they try to control the narrative, the more attention is gonna be drawn. And let's be real, this whole thing is gonna be a circus either way...