Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined $9,000 for that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case.
And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Prosecutors had alleged 10 violations, but New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there were nine. Trump stared down at the table in front of him as the judge read the ruling, frowning slightly.
It was a stinging rebuke of the Republican former president含羞草研究社檚 insistence that he was exercising his free speech rights and a reminder that he含羞草研究社檚 a criminal defendant subject to the harsh realities of trial procedure. The judge含羞草研究社檚 suggestion that he may jail the former president signaled that Trump含羞草研究社檚 already precarious legal standing could further spiral depending on his behavior during the trial.
Merchan wrote that he is Trump含羞草研究社檚 First Amendment rights, 含羞草研究社減articularly given his candidacy for the office of President of the United States.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t is critically important that defendant含羞草研究社檚 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,含羞草研究社� Merchan wrote.
Still, he warned that the court would not tolerate 含羞草研究社渨illful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment.含羞草研究社�
With that statement, the judge drew nearer the specter of Trump becoming the first former president of the United States behind bars.
Trump is used to having constant access to his social media bullhorn to slam opponents and speak his mind. After he was banned from Twitter following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, Trump launched his own platform, where his posts wouldn含羞草研究社檛 be blocked or restricted. And he has long tried to distance himself from controversial messages he含羞草研究社檚 amplified to his millions of followers by insisting they含羞草研究社檙e 含羞草研究社渙nly retweets.含羞草研究社�
But he does , which were also imposed in his civil fraud trial. After he was found to have violated those orders, he paid more than $15,000 in fines.
Tuesday含羞草研究社檚 ruling came at the start of the second week of testimony in the historic case, in which Manhattan prosecutors argue Trump and his associates took part in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential campaign by purchasing and then burying seamy stories. The payouts went to a doorman with a torrid yarn; former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who had accusations of an affair; and to porn performer Stormy Daniels, who alleged a sexual encounter with Trump. He has pleaded not guilty and says the stories are all fake.
Trump was ordered to pay the gag-order fine by the close of business Friday and must remove seven offending posts from his Truth Social account and two from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The judge is also weighing and will hear arguments Thursday. He also announced that he will halt the trial on May 17 to allow Trump to attend his son Barron含羞草研究社檚 high school graduation.
Of the 10 posts, the one Merchan ruled was not a violation came on April 10, a post referring to witnesses Michael Cohen and Daniels as 含羞草研究社渟leaze bags.含羞草研究社� Merchan said Trump含羞草研究社檚 contention that he was responding to previous posts by Cohen 含羞草研究社渋s sufficient to give含羞草研究社� him pause on whether the post was a violation.
Among those he found to be violations, Merchan ruled that a Trump post quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters含羞草研究社� claim that liberal activists were lying to infiltrate the jury 含羞草研究社渃onstitutes a clear violation含羞草研究社� of the gag order. Merchan noted that the words contained within the quotation marks in Trump含羞草研究社檚 April 17 post misstated what Watters actually said.
Merchan cautioned that the gag order 含羞草研究社渘ot be used as a sword instead of a shield by potential witnesses含羞草研究社� and that if people who are protected by the order, like Cohen, continue to attack Trump 含羞草研究社渋t becomes apparent含羞草研究社� they don含羞草研究社檛 need the gag order含羞草研究社檚 protection.
Cohen, Trump含羞草研究社檚 former attorney, has said he will refrain from commenting about Trump until after he testifies at the trial. On Tuesday, he said in a text message to The Associated Press: 含羞草研究社淭he imposed fine is irrelevant. Judge Merchan含羞草研究社檚 decision elucidates that this behavior will not be tolerated and that no one is above the law.含羞草研究社�
In other developments, testimony resumed Tuesday with Gary Farro, a banker who helped Cohen open accounts, including one that Cohen used to buy Daniels含羞草研究社� silence. She alleged a 2006 sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Jurors also heard from Keith Davidson, a lawyer who represented McDougal and Daniels in their negotiations with the National Enquirer and Cohen.
Trump is charged with in connection with the hush money payments. The detailed evidence on business transactions and bank accounts is setting the stage for testimony from Cohen, who went to federal prison after and other crimes.
Jurors have also heard from Trump含羞草研究社檚 longtime executive assistant, Rhona Graff, who recounted that in Trump Tower and figured she was a potential contestant for one of Trump含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淎pprentice含羞草研究社�-brand shows.
Last week, former laid out how he agreed to serve as the Trump campaign含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渆yes and ears含羞草研究社� by helping to squelch unflattering rumors and claims about Trump and women. to scoop up and sit on stories.
Trump含羞草研究社檚 attorneys have suggested that in an effort to protect his name and his family 含羞草研究社� not to influence the outcome of the presidential election.
The trial 含羞草研究社� the first of to come before a jury 含羞草研究社� is expected to last for another month or more. And with every moment Trump is in court, he含羞草研究社檚 growing increasingly frustrated while the November election moves ever closer.
For his part, Trump has been campaigning in his off-hours, but he is required to be in court when it is in session, four days a week. Outside the courtroom Tuesday, he again criticized the case.
含羞草研究社淭his is a case that should have never been brought,含羞草研究社� he said.
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