The Presidents’ Council of the Coalition of Latino Bar Associations condemns recent verbal attacks made against the Honorable Justice Juan Merchan A.J.S.C., and Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg
FOR JOINT RELEASE: Apr. 17, 2023
The Presidents’ Council of the Coalition of Latino Bar Associations, comprised of the Dominican Bar Association, the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association, the Hudson Valley Hispanic Bar Association, the Latino Lawyers of Queens County, and the Puerto Rican Bar Association, condemns recent verbal attacks made against the Honorable Justice Juan Merchan A.J.S.C., and Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, who are respectively presiding over and prosecuting the case of People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump. Former President Trump has repeatedly made concerning and offensive statements on social media against both DA Bragg and Justice Merchan and his immediate family.
As recently reported in the media, those offensive statements have been followed by multiple threats made against Justice Merchan and his immediate family, including harassing calls and emailed death threats. The media has additionally reported that DA Bragg and other members of his staff, have also received threats in the form of calls, emails, and letters. These vicious ad hominem attacks against Justice Merchan and DA Bragg are dangerous. These repulsive statements and comments have no place in civil society and have the potential to incite violence, civil unrest, and pose a serious threat to the safety of these individuals and their families.
The Presidents’ Council of the Coalition of Latino Bar Associations strongly condemns the use of such character assassination, derogatory comments, and inflammatory, vicious, and racist statements. While we commend Justice Merchan for not issuing a gag order, we do call upon the lawyers representing Former President Trump in this matter, Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, and Joseph Tacopina, to admonish their client to refrain from the use of such incendiary rhetoric and unacceptable, vile, and racist language, and allow the court system to do its job without the use of fear and intimidation.