A new week in the trial against Trump surrounding the hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, a new riot. The former president was fined $1,000 by Judge Juan Merchan for the tenth time because he violated the gag order in his trial. Trump has already attacked jurors several times on his own social medium Truth Social and other media, and according to Merchan he is endangering them.
In this case, Trump had said in an interview broadcast on April 22 that the jury was “picked too quickly.” “95 percent of them are Democrats. Everything there belongs to the Democrats.”
When he handed down the fine, Merchan also used threatening language against the former president. “Mr. Trump, as you know, the District Attorney has filed three separate motions to criminally convict you of contempt. It appears the $1,000 fines are not a deterrent for you,” he said. “You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president… But I have to do my job, and part of that is protecting the dignity of the justice system.”
“It appears the $1,000 fines are not a deterrent for you”
Juan Merchan
Judge, against Trump
Merchan called Trump’s actions “a direct attack on the rule of law.” “I cannot allow this to continue like this. So as much as I do not want to impose any prison time… I want you to understand that I will, if necessary and appropriate.” For violations of the gag order, a judge in New York can impose fines of up to 1,000 euros, but also a prison sentence of up to thirty days.
Tenth offense
It is already the tenth time that Trump has violated his gag order during the trial. Last week he was fined $1,000 nine times and given a clear reminder to treat the court in New York with the necessary respect. Because he failed to do so again, an additional fine was imposed. He did not respond to Judge Merchan’s words in court.
Multiple testimonies are scheduled for Monday on the twelfth day of the trial against Trump, including from Stormy Daniels herself. The case revolves around the hush money he made her pay to prevent her from coming public about the night they spent together. She received $130,000 from the president, which in itself is nothing wrong with it, but according to the New York prosecutor, it would have been campaign money that should not be used for that purpose. Trump has maintained for years that this is a politically motivated process and a witch hunt.
Judge Juan Merchan (left) during the interrogation of Hope Hicks, ex-Trump employee. — © REUTERS
