Judge fines Trump $9,000 and warns of possible jail time
Former President Trump was recently found guilty of violating a gag order multiple times in the NY v. Trump case in Manhattan. The presiding judge, Juan Merchan, ruled on Tuesday that Trump had violated the gag order at least nine times and fined him $9,000 for these violations.
This gag order specifically prohibits Trump from publicly discussing witnesses and family members of court officials. Each violation cost Trump a $1,000 fine, and Judge Merchan warned that continued willful violations could lead to incarceration if deemed necessary.
Trump’s legal team has argued that the gag order infringes on his First Amendment rights. On the other hand, District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his office alleged that Trump violated the order at least 14 times as of last week. The gag order was put in place leading up to the trial last month.
During a recent hearing on the gag order, Judge Merchan criticized Trump’s legal team for not providing specific instances where Trump was responding to targeted attacks on social media that led to the violations. Merchan expressed his concern over the team’s credibility in the court.
Trump has denounced the entire case as a ‘scam’ orchestrated by the Biden administration. He argues that the gag order has unfairly limited his ability to defend himself against the accusations. Despite the restrictions, Trump has been vocal about his frustrations regarding the gag order, claiming it hinders his ability to speak out in his defense.
Trump expressed his frustration with the gag order outside the courtroom, stating, “We have a gag order, which to me is totally unconstitutional. I’m not allowed to talk, but people are allowed to talk about me. So, they can talk about me, they can say whatever they want, they can lie, but I’m not allowed to say anything.”
As the NY v. Trump case continues to unfold in Manhattan, the tensions between the former president and the judicial system are mounting. Stay tuned for further developments as this high-profile trial proceeds.
