HILLSBORO, Ohio — The judge who will preside at the trial of the mayor of an Ohio city who’s also a stand-up comedian has expanded on her gag order in the case.

Retired Judge Patricia Ann Cosgrove of Summit County Common Pleas Court recently filed an eight-page order after earlier warning case participants against pretrial commentaries on the trial of Hillsboro Mayor Drew Hastings. 

Hillsboro’s Times-Gazette newspaper reported Facebook comments had questioned aspects of the case.

Mr. Hastings was indicted in July on four felony counts, including election falsification and theft in office. 

A jury trial is set to begin Nov. 7 before Judge Cosgrove, who was appointed after a local judge recused himself.

The second-term Republican mayor says he’s done nothing wrong, other than try to lead the city without the consent of the “established political structure.”

The judge’s order bars anyone associated with the case from commenting to the media or on social media.

The election-falsification charge concerns Mr. Hastings’ residency in the southwest Ohio city of 6,000, where he has an apartment and a farm outside of town. Other charges stem from a $500 fee refund for a building he owned and the alleged use of city trash bins for private debris disposal.

First Published October 31, 2016, 4:00 a.m.