Donald Trump of course has a First Amendment right to rubbish his political enemies and compare himself to Jesus Christ, no matter how false his claims. But the First Amendment has its limitations.

Trump is a defendant in court, and there his free speech rights are restricted when it comes to threatening witnesses, jurors, court personnel or, most pointedly, members of the judge’s family. So has ruled Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over Trump’s criminal trial in New York, which involves election interference and the cover-up of a payment to a porn star.

This nuance escaped Kristi Welker, NBC’s anchor on “Meet the Press”last Sunday. Rather than condemning these dangerous attacks, she justified them in a triumph of banality on the basis that Trump’s attacks on Judge Merchan and his daughter is “a reminder that we are covering this election against the backdrop of a deeply divided nation.” Welker ignored that the First Amendment protects the press so the press can protect democracy.

Trump already has tried to overturn an election and is giving every indication of doing it again. Overturning democracy is not a “side.” Threatening a judge’s family when someone is on trial for serious felonies is a dangerous business, as it can lead to violence. This is also not a “side.” When the choice is between good and evil, the alternative to good is never good.

No wonder Trump is trying to intimidate Merchan. The judge just denied yet another of his attempts — his eighth,........

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