Trump hush-money trial judge signals he may fine him again over gag order
The judge overseeing Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial on Thursday signaled he might impose more fines on the former U.S. president for violating a gag order that prohibits him from talking about witnesses and jurors.
Justice Juan Merchan challenged a defense assertion that Trump did not violate the gag order when he said the Manhattan jury in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president was picked from a heavily Democratic area. “I’m making an argument that he didn’t,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told the judge.
“Well I’m not agreeing with that argument,” Merchan responded without saying whether or when he would impose a fine.
Prosecutors are asking Merchan to fine Trump $4,000 for violating the gag order four times last week. In one instance, the Republican Trump said in a TV interview that "that jury was picked so fast - 95% Democrats. The area's mostly all Democrat."
$1000 per instance of contempt is the maximum fine by statute (which yes, means it only punishes the poor). Its possible to be jailed as well, but I think the judge doesn't want to jump to that too eagerly given the circumstances.
How many warnings before it's okay to jail him? I want a number. Not from you because I know you're just spitting facts, but I just want somebody to draw a fucking line in the sand now so we can jail him when he crosses it. Because this is what, 12 counts of contempt he's been fined for? 13? How many times does the average person get fined for this before getting jailed?
Merchan is going way too fucking easy on the orange shit stain.
Let's be fair (though I hate to be). The first hearing, at which trump was warned that he was definitely violating the gag order and could go to jail for continued violations, was earlier this week. These particular four infractions occurred last week, so he'll likely just get another fine.
I'm kinda curious whether he'll actually pay his fines.
I didn't know that detail. It's a very relevant piece of context, so thanks.
Does anyone know what the general rules and expectations are for paying this fine to a NY court? It kinda feels to me like there should be a pretty quick due date on that, like a week or something. I get that not everybody will have a couple thousand liquid right away, so I don't expect "by the end of the business day" or anything, but at the same time it is a jailable offense.
The fines will be paid, but likely reimbursed by some donor, or by hiking the rent that the Secret Service pays at Mar-a-lago or some bullshit like that.
I think it's ultimately the judge's discretion and there is no line in the sand. I assume he is wary of the public perception, but damn if it doesn't just highlight the fact that there is a separate system of justice for "them" and "us".
It’s not worth the risk of giving the defense cause for mistrial by jumping to jail time too quickly. This has to be as moderate as possible, and Merchan is doing exactly that.
He's already been fined for 9 counts of contempt of court, would prison time after that really count as "going too quickly" ?
Yes, it is. It’s standard procedure for the judge to follow the recommendations of the prosecution. Merchan has now set the expectation that further infractions could lead to a jail sentence.
Fuck a line in the sand, I want to chisel one in the granite. Make that 4 in an enclosed figure around him and if he crosses any of them he gets shot like a puppy or a goat.