New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan's order says Trump is not allowed to speak about prosecutors working on the hush money case under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, or their family members, although he is permitted to target Bragg himself in social media posts or campaign speeches. Trump is also prohibited from speaking about members of Merchan's staff and their families - though there does not appear to be any prohibition on speech about the judge or his relatives.

The decision was issued hours after Trump attacked Merchan's daughter on social media because of her affiliation with a company that works on campaigns for Democratic candidates.

Merchan's order also aims to protect jurors or prospective jurors, who will be summoned to the courthouse at the start of the trial. Trump is barred from "making or directing others to make public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding," the order said.

Trump has now normalized his impetuous sociopathic vulgar behavior, something far more harmful to our society given his history of both stoking and cheering-on violent public responses by those believing his self-serving cries and lamentations. I applaud this judge in his substantive ruling, noting the amount of violent or threatening acts recent justice workers and staff have been subjected to. And it's so sad that a person who placed their hand on a bible and swore to defend our constitutional dictates and processes attack those whom he's supposed to protect and support - keeping faith that our legal processes usually arrive at fair and just adjudications as our Founders desired.