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.”
the guy just lost 500 million … how the fuck can anyone look at these rich fucks with a serious face and fine them a few thousand? they have to know the fines are beyond useless. its a joke.
$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.
The law specifically sets the fine at max $1000 per offence. The judge doesn’t have the authority to set higher fines.
But he was already fined once, the judge can absolutely escalate to jail time now… But Trump is untouchable apparently, so he keeps imposing meaningless fines
This is simply half true.
The judge can jail trump.
Sure, but when Trump violates again, that doesn’t give the judge anything else to escalate to.
He didn’t lose $500M, although his bond insurer probably lost $175M. If he loses appeal, he’ll be on the hook for the difference, and never make good on the bond repayment.
that bond is invalid, they are going to take properties worth the 500m minus whatever cash he can scrounge up
Nah, they accepted it on the terms that the bond insurer can back it with cash.
https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-appeal-bond-9c727602732c683fde6edd64879611e7
of fucking course. thanks!