NEW YORK — In an unprecedented move, the presiding judge in the criminal trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Justice Juan Merchan, imposed a $1,000 fine on Trump for the tenth time. This was due to Trump’s repeated violation of a gag order, which has led to him being held in contempt of court. Merchan warned that further breaches could result in jail time for the former president.
Merchan expressed his frustration, stating that the previous nine fines, each amounting to $1,000, had not deterred Trump from breaching the order. This order prohibits Trump from publicly discussing jurors and witnesses involved in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
“I have done everything within my power to avoid imposing a jail sanction. However, if necessary, I will not hesitate to do so,” Merchan declared before the jury was brought in.
The trial, which is of historical significance, is centered around a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the final stages of the 2016 election. If Trump were to be imprisoned, it would be an unprecedented development in this landmark trial.
Following Merchan’s ruling, the jury heard testimony from a former employee of Trump. This testimony could potentially strengthen the prosecution’s argument that Trump falsified business records to conceal the hush money payment.
Trump, however, maintains his innocence, pleading not guilty and denying any wrongdoing.
While imposing the fine, Merchan stated that he viewed jail time as a “last resort” due to the potential disruption to the trial, the extraordinary security challenges it would pose, and the complications it could cause for the 2024 presidential election, where Trump, a Republican, aims to reclaim the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden.
Merchan, however, emphasized that Trump’s persistent and deliberate violations of the gag order constituted a “direct assault on the rule of law.”
The tenth $1,000 fine was imposed on Monday, following an April 22 broadcast interview where Trump stated: “That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats. The area’s mostly all Democrat.”
Merchan ruled that other statements made by Trump, which mentioned witnesses Michael Cohen and David Pecker, did not breach the order.
The gag order restricts Trump from making statements about jurors, witnesses, and families of the judge and prosecutors if intended to interfere with the case. Violations can result in fines of up to $1,000 or jail time of up to 30 days.
Last week, Merchan imposed a $9,000 fine on Trump for nine social media posts that were deemed to have violated the gag order.
Trump has frequently voiced his dissatisfaction with the gag order, claiming that it hampers his ability to present his case to voters in his bid to return to the White House.
“My constitutional right to speak has been taken away,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom before the start of the 12th day of trial.
Examination of Payment Records
On Monday, prosecutors presented business records to the jurors, showing payments totaling $420,000 from Trump to Cohen, his former personal lawyer and fixer.
These payments were recorded as legal fees, but prosecutors argue that they were actually intended to reimburse Cohen for a $130,000 payment made to Daniels to silence her about a sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump in 2006. Trump denies ever having a sexual relationship with Daniels.
Prosecutors allege that the $420,000 paid by Trump was intended to cover the $130,000 Cohen paid to Daniels, along with $50,000 in other expenses he had incurred. Trump doubled that total to account for taxes and also included a $60,000 year-end bonus, they claim.
Jeffrey McConney, a former controller in Trump’s organization, testified that he was not aware of any other instance in which the Trump Organization reimbursed someone so generously.
He stated that he was informed by the company’s top finance official, Allen Weisselberg, that the payments were reimbursements, not legal fees. He also stated that he never discussed the payments with Trump.
Prosecutors also presented ledger entries to the jurors, showing that payments to Cohen were not listed among the legal expenses the company paid to outside lawyers.
Most of the jurors appeared to scrutinize the email messages displayed on the screens in front of their seats as McConney testified.
Prosecutors argue that Trump’s payment to Daniels corrupted the 2016 election by withholding the news from voters, at a time when his treatment of women was a key issue in his campaign against Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
They claim that the altered business records concealed election-law and tax-law violations that elevate the 34 counts Trump faces from misdemeanors to felonies punishable by up to four years in prison.
If found guilty, Trump could face up to four years in prison, although defendants typically face fines and probation.
The key figures in the case, including Cohen and Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, have yet to testify.
While the case involves salacious allegations of adultery and secret payoffs, it is generally considered less significant than the three other criminal prosecutions Trump faces. It is the only one certain to go to trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election.
The other cases accuse him of attempting to overturn his 2020 presidential defeat and mishandling classified documents after leaving office. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all three.
Agree! It’s important for all individuals, regardless of their status, to respect legal orders and consequences.
Agree – Individuals in positions of power must be held accountable for their actions, just like anyone else.
Agree – No one is above the law, including those in positions of power.
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