The judge in Donald Trump’s New York criminal case fined him $9,000 for violating a restraining order on Tuesday. He also warned Trump that he could face jail time if he violated it again. Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying records of business in 2016 as part of a scheme to cover up a alleged fraud.
[[{“value”:”Donald Trump was fined$ 9, 000 on Tuesday for breaking a gag order by the judge overseeing his criminal trial in New York, and he was warned that if Trump continued to violate the law, he could face jail time.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a plot to conceal an reported extramarital affair with Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, in 2016. ( Trump denies any affair. ) As in another new legal proceedings involving Trump, the judge in the New York case, Juan Merchan, issued a gag order prior to the trial. That order was somewhat narrow, prohibiting the former president from attacking or denigrating jurors, witnesses, court employees, prosecutors or their families. The order did not forbid criticism of Merchan, exclusively of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is bringing the charges, or of himself.
In response, prosecutors requested a$ 1, 000 good for each violation of the gag order in the first few days of the trial last week. Merchan, in his ruling, found that Trump had indeed violated the order in nine instances—in one, in which Trump reposted someone else’s statements on his Truth Social platform, Merchan said it was n’t clear that it was Trump’s own statement.
The fine of$ 9, 000 is a relatively paltry sum, and not just because of Trump’s wealth. Trump was fined$ 15, 000 for two separate violations of a similar gag order in the civil fraud trial last fall, in which he was found liable for more than$ 450 million. Merchan, in his ruling, acknowledged that Tuesday’s contempt fine might not be large enough to deter Trump from potential violations, but he noted that it was the maximum amount allowed by law.
While$ 1, 000 may be sufficient in most cases to defend the dignity of the judicial system, to compel the respect for its mandates, and to punish the offender for breaking a court order, Merchan wrote, adding that if it was up to him, he might consider a fine of up to$ 150, 000 as more appropriate.
But, Merchan wrote, since he ca n’t level that kind of fine, he may have to contemplate something more serious that money.
” Because this Court is not cloaked with such discretion, it must therefore consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment”, Merchan wrote.
On Thursday, Merchan will hold a hearing to look into three more potential gag order violations. To completely abide by Merchan’s order today, Trump must delete seven posts from Truth Social and two posts from his campaign website by 2: 15 p. m. on Tuesday. He must also pay the$ 9, 000 excellent by Friday.”}]] The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s legal trial in New York on Tuesday fined the former president$ 9, 000 for breaking a gag order, and he warned him that any additional offenses could lead to jail time. Trump is facing 34 felonies for falsifying business records as part of a plot to elude an reported cover-up in a 2016 election.
The judge in Donald Trump’s New York criminal case fined him $9,000 for violating a restraining order on Tuesday. He also warned Trump that he could face jail time if he violated it again. Trump faces 34 felony counts for falsifying records of business in 2016 as part of a scheme to cover up a alleged fraud.
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