US President Donald Trump hasn't given up hope of being able to block critics who sledge him on Twitter.
Justice Department lawyers Friday asked the full 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan to decide whether a three-judge appeals panel erred in ruling he could not.
They said the case has important implications for public officials who increasingly use social media, particularly on personal social media accounts.
The US President is no stranger to a social media stir. Source: Getty Images North America
"If the panel is correct, public officials who address matters relating to their public office on personal accounts will run the risk that every action taken on that account will be state action subject to constitutional scrutiny," the lawyers wrote.
It is rare for the 2nd Circuit to grant a request for the 11 appeals judges who have not reached senior status to collectively consider a case. The appeals court generally grants such a request less often than once a year.
