The judge presiding over the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York has found him in contempt of court for the 10th time due to his repeated violation of a gag order. In a stern warning on Monday, the judge cautioned that further breaches could result in imprisonment.
According to Judge Juan Merchan, Trump disobeyed his order on April 22 by making comments about the political composition of the jury.
In an interview with the network Real America’s Voice, Trump expressed his concerns about the jury selection process, stating, “That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats. The area’s mostly all Democrat. It’s a very unfair situation, that I can tell you.” Trump’s remarks highlight his belief that the jury composition was biased and that this could potentially impact the fairness of the trial.
Merchan, in his written order, expressed concern over the impact of Trump’s comments on the integrity and legitimacy of the proceedings. He also highlighted how these comments created fear for the safety of the jurors and their loved ones.
Merchan, the judge, imposed the maximum fine of $1,000 as permitted by state law. In a previous ruling last week, Trump was fined $9,000 by Merchan for nine violations found in his social media posts and campaign website. Merchan expressed his concern that the fines imposed so far have not been effective in deterring Trump from committing future violations, and warned that he could face imprisonment for any further infractions.
“Moving ahead, the court stated that it would have to contemplate imposing a jail sanction if it is suggested,” Merchan announced from the bench when the trial recommenced on Monday.
According to the Senator, imprisoning Trump is not his desired course of action. He believes it would create complications during the trial and pose challenges for the Secret Service and court officers responsible for ensuring the safety of the ex-president.
He acknowledged the magnitude of such a decision by stating, “The magnitude of such a decision is not lost on me.” However, he firmly asserted that the violations of the gag order were a direct attack on the rule of law and emphasized his determination to put an end to it, saying, “I cannot allow that to continue.”
Trump is currently facing 34 charges of falsifying business records, and he has entered a plea of not guilty.
The Trump gag order
In March, Merchan initially issued a gag order that prohibited Trump from making any comments about potential witnesses, potential jurors, court staff, and the prosecution’s lawyers. However, the judge later expanded the order to include his own family members. This came after Trump criticized the judge’s daughter for her involvement in consulting work with Democratic candidates and progressive causes.
Trump is not prohibited by the gag order from criticizing Merchan or Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney.
In the latest ruling, Judge Merchan determined that out of the ten instances presented by prosecutors in their previous motions, Trump had violated the order in nine cases. In his most recent order, the judge considered four additional alleged violations, but concluded that only one of them actually violated the gag order.
During the trial, there were three other instances where Trump made comments about key witnesses. He referred to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, as a “convicted liar.” Additionally, during a campaign stop, he mentioned that David Pecker, a former media executive, had been very nice.
Merchan concluded that these three instances did not violate any rules. He clarified that the remarks about Cohen could be viewed as “protected political speech, made in response to political attacks.” Similarly, Merchan stated that he could not find evidence that the statement about Pecker was a veiled threat towards Mr. Pecker or other witnesses.
According to Merchan, Trump’s interview with Real America’s Voice did violate the order, despite his repeated warnings to Trump not to discuss jurors.
The court has determined that the prosecutors have proven the charges of criminal contempt beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge stated that the court’s Expanded Order is clear and lawful. He further added that the defendant violated the order by publicly discussing the jury and its selection process.
Merchan issued another warning to Trump, stating that he could face jail time for any future violations. However, he clarified that he would not order him to be imprisoned for the most recent violation, as it occurred after his initial ruling.
The Judge stated that since the offensive statement was made before the Court’s Decision of April 30 and the People are only seeking a monetary fine, the Defendant will be fined $1,000 again. However, the Judge also noted that this is the tenth time the Defendant has been found in contempt of court, spanning three separate motions. It is clear that monetary fines have not been effective in deterring the Defendant from violating the Court’s orders.
Merchan, in his statement, warns Trump that any future violations of lawful orders could result in imprisonment.
