Judge threatens Trump with jail if he keeps breaking gag order
Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court for violating a gag order for the 10th time in his hush-money trial in New York.
The former president was told any further violations could mean jail.
“At the end of the day, I have a job to do and that job is to protect the dignity of the judicial system,” the judge said.
This is the second gag order ruling of the trial.
TRUMP: "It's a ridiculous case. I did nothing wrong—The judge is totally conflicted. He's taking my constitutional right away to speak.. It's a fake trial. They have no case.. This is a Biden trial." pic.twitter.com/s55ibvEJDl
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 6, 2024
Earlier in the hush-money proceedings, Judge Juan Merchan sided with the prosecution and fined Trump $1,000 each for nine violations.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a payment to a porn actress to hide an alleged sexual encounter. He has denied all wrongdoing.
On Monday, the third week of testimony in the first-ever criminal trial of a former president, Justice Merchan said it appeared the $9.000 gag-order fine from the previous infractions had not served as a deterrent.
“Therefore going forward this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” he said. “It is important that you understand that the last thing I want to do is put you in jail.”
Prosecutors said last week they were “not yet seeking jail” for Trump’s alleged gag order violations.