In his continuing hush money trial, former President Donald Trump was fined $1,000 for breaking a gag order. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan also threatened to put him in prison if he broke the order again. First put in place at the beginning of the trial, the gag order prevents Trump from speaking in public about jurors, witnesses, court employees, and their families. Trump has nonetheless often discussed the trial in public, which is why he was just penalized for the eleventh infraction.
Speaking to Trump face-to-face in the courtroom, Justice Merchan said that although he would prefer not to sentence him to prison, he was willing to do so if necessary, noting the trial’s interruption and the gravity of the case considering Trump’s background as a past and prospective presidential candidate. He underlined the gravity of the issue and the delicate balance he must strike between maintaining the law and ensuring court decorum.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing. He is accused of 34 counts of falsifying company records in connection with a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. According to him, the lawsuit is politically motivated and intended to prevent him from running a strong campaign and winning reelection.
At the heart of the accusations of campaign finance breaches is the money made to Daniels with the intention of keeping her quiet about her previous relationship with Trump. Prosecutors contend that this action exceeded the permitted amount for individual contributions and amounted to an unlawful campaign contribution.
Former Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testified throughout the trial about how Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, who helped arrange Daniels’ payment, had faked corporate documents to conceal payments. In the trial, there was also proof of checks that Trump had signed for Cohen, which connected him even more to the purported cover-up.
The prosecution and Trump’s legal team are still working through the intricacies of the case as the trial goes on, and more testimony and evidence will be presented when it resumes. The court’s reactions and Trump’s public remarks emp