Former President Donald Trump was hit with a $9,000 fine for contempt of court after violating a gag order nine times during his ongoing criminal hush money trial in New York, and he was also warned that further violations could land him in jail. The fine came as proceedings entered their third week, illustrating an intensifying legal battle that could have far-reaching implications for the presumptive Republican nominee.
The trial, which is not being televised, continued with testimony from Gary Farro, a banker who helped Trump’s ex-lawyer Michael Cohen set up a shell company used to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Farro, a former executive at First Republic Bank, testified that the bank would have asked more questions had they been aware of the money’s true destination, stating that the industry of adult entertainment is one they “do not work with.”
Prosecutors have been methodically building their case, focusing on the hush money transaction at the center of the 34 counts of falsifying business records against Trump. The trial has already heard from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and Trump’s longtime assistant Rhona Graff, each providing pieces of the puzzle regarding Trump’s attempts to suppress negative stories during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Judge Juan M. Merchan’s decision to find Trump in contempt sends a clear message that he will not tolerate further breaches of his orders. The trial’s attention now turns to Michael Cohen, whose testimony is expected to be crucial in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is keeping a tight lid on its witness list, in part due to Trump’s prior social media posts targeting potential witnesses, including Cohen and Daniels. The judge also granted Trump’s request to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation on May 17, debunking previous false claims by Trump that the judge had barred him from the event.
The New York Times has revealed that in private, the former president has been expressing dissatisfaction with his lead defense attorney, Todd Blanche. According to the Times, Trump believes that Blanche has not been assertive enough and desires him to aggressively challenge witnesses, the perceived bias of the jury pool, and even the judge, Juan M. Merchan. The paper further noted that nearly every lawyer who has represented Trump in the past has faced intense scrutiny.
However, as Trump enters the third week of his initial criminal trial, which not only jeopardizes his potential presidential campaign but also carries the possibility of imprisonment, the question of whether his legal team can navigate his demands has become increasingly significant.
Relevant articles:
– Trump trial live updates: Judge threatens Trump with jail for gag order violations during hush money trial , NBC News, 04/30/2024
– Trump’s hush money trial begins second week with a fine, a threat and witness testimony, NBC News, 04/30/2024
– Trump trial live updates: Trump fined $9K for gag order violations, could be jailed next time, ABC News, 04/30/2024
– Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him $9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial, The Associated Press, 04/30/2024
– Live updates Trump found in contempt for violating gag order in hush money trial, The Washington Post, 04/30/2024