Donald Trump, the former U.S. president, has been hit with a $9,000 fine by a New York judge for his failure to comply with a gag order imposed during the ongoing hush-money trial related to the 2016 election campaign. New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found Trump in contempt of court and warned him that further violations could lead to jail time.
During the trial, where Trump stands accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments, prosecutors highlighted nine instances where Trump violated the gag order. This order prohibits public statements about trial witnesses, prospective jurors, and related court staff, aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the judicial process. Despite the warning from Judge Merchan, who expressed his awareness and protection of Trump’s First Amendment rights.
Trump was required to pay the fine by the end of the business day on Friday, and he was also instructed to remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by the early afternoon the day of the ruling. In the event of further violations, Judge Merchan indicated he may resort to “an incarceratory punishment.”
The judge also said in response to Trump’s complaints about the comments of expected witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels have made outside of court that he might consider modifying the gag order to remove them from its protections if he finds it necessary in the future.
“It is critically important that Defendant’s legitimate free speech rights not be curtailed, that he be able to fully campaign for the office which he seeks and that he be able to respond and defend himself against political attacks,” Merchan wrote in his order. “It is of utmost importance to this Court that the Expanded Order not be used as a sword instead of a shield by potential witnesses.”
The judge has made it clear that any effort to intimidate or influence witnesses or jurors through public commentary will not be tolerated.
Relevant articles:
– Judge fines Trump $9,000 for violating gag order in hush-money trial – live , The Guardian US, 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
– Judge in hush money trial threatens Trump with jail after holding him in contempt for violating gag order, NBC News, 04/30/2024
– Trump held in contempt for violating gag order in “hush money” trial. Here’s how much he owes., CBS News, 04/30/2024
– Trump ordered to pay $9,000 for violating gag order in criminal hush money trial, NPR, 04/30/2024