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- Judge Juan Merchan hit Trump with his 10th gag order violation Monday, along with a warning of jail.
- Merely fining Trump $1,000 per violation has not been a sufficient deterrent, the judge said.
- “Therefore, going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” he said.
It is important to note that if the behavior continues, the consequences could become more severe, potentially resulting in a jail sentence.
The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s trial regarding hush-money in New York has determined that the former president has once again breached his gag order. This marks the tenth time that Trump has violated the order, and the judge has issued a warning, stating that further violations could result in imprisonment.
In the 15th-floor downtown Manhattan courtroom, State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan directly addressed Trump as “Mr. Trump” and expressed his observation that the $1,000 fines were not effectively deterring certain actions.
The judge cautioned that moving forward, the court would need to contemplate imposing a jail sanction, should it be recommended by the prosecutors.
Merchan emphasized that he had no intention of incarcerating Mr. Trump, acknowledging his status as both a former president and a potential future leader of the United States.
Merchan expressed that he views incarceration as a final option.
The judge informed the former president that taking such a step would disrupt the proceedings, which he assumed the former president wanted to conclude promptly.
“The individuals responsible for carrying out such sanctions, including court officers, correction officers, and the Secret Service detail, also weigh heavy on my mind,” he expressed concern.
He expressed his concern for them and the potential challenges associated with implementing such a sanction.
“The judge acknowledged the gravity of such a decision,” the judge stated.
Merchan emphasized that despite everything, he has a job to fulfill.
He emphasized the importance of protecting the dignity of the judicial system and compelling respect, stating that the defendant’s ongoing violations of the court’s lawful order pose a threat to the administration of justice.
The judge stated that Trump’s continuous criticism of jurors and witnesses is a direct assault on the rule of law. He emphasized that he cannot tolerate such behavior any further.
The maximum fine allowed was imposed on Trump by Merchan, amounting to $1,000. This brings the total amount of fines Trump has received for violating the order to $10,000. In the previous week, the former president had been fined $9,000 for breaching the gag order nine times before.
Judge Merchan expressed his reluctance to enforce a jail sentence but made it clear that he would not hesitate to do so if deemed necessary and appropriate.
In court, Trump maintained his composure as Merchan, speaking with confidence yet remaining composed, issued a stern warning of potential jail time. The ex-president, relaxed in his comfortable chair, showed no signs of concern as the judge delivered the cautionary message.
In light of an interview conducted by Trump with the right-wing network “Real America’s Voice” on April 22, a fine and contempt finding has been issued.
In the 21-minute interview, Trump made reference to the jury responsible for the hush-money case.
“But this judge, uh, said that I cannot escape the trial. You know, he’s rushing the trial like crazy. It’s unprecedented how quickly things are moving. The jury was selected at lightning speed, with 95% of them being Democrats,” Trump exclaimed, disregarding the gag order in place.
The region is predominantly comprised of Democrats. It is widely known as a stronghold for the Democratic Party. The situation is perceived as highly unjust, I must say.
The judge reiterated the points he made in his oral statement in Merchan’s written order: “Given that this Court has found Defendant guilty of criminal contempt for the tenth time, across three different motions, it is clear that monetary fines have been ineffective in deterring Defendant from disregarding this Court’s lawful orders.”
In his order, Judge Merchan warned the defendant that any future violations of the court’s orders could result in imprisonment.
At the beginning of the third week of testimony in the criminal trial of the leading GOP candidate, the judge issued a stern warning. The candidate is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
According to the Manhattan district attorney’s office, prosecutors claim that Donald Trump intentionally provided false information on official documents to conceal an illicit $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
The payment, which was made by Michael Cohen, the former personal attorney and fixer of Trump, was transferred to Daniels just 11 days prior to the 2016 presidential election. This payment aimed to secure her silence regarding a sexual encounter she had with Trump in 2006. This information was presented as evidence in the trial conducted by prosecutors.
Trump has consistently denied any involvement in an affair with Daniels, who holds significant importance as a witness in the case.
