New York v. Trump: Judge Imposes $9K Fine, Warns of Possible Jail Time
Former President Donald Trump was fined $9,000 for violating a gag order in the NY v. Trump case in Manhattan, with the presiding judge ruling that he broke the order at least nine times. The judge warned that continued violations could result in “incarceration punishment” if necessary.
Trump’s attorneys argued that the gag order infringed on his First Amendment rights, while District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office alleged that Trump violated the order at least 14 times. The order was put in place before the trial last month.
During a hearing on the gag order, Judge Juan Merchan criticized Trump’s defence team for their lack of credibility in defending the former president’s social media comments that violated the order. Trump has called the case a “scam” orchestrated by the Biden administration and has expressed frustration at being unable to defend himself publicly.
This is reprehensible.
Donald Trump doesn’t trust women. I do. https://t.co/L0JbgsFWvX
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 30, 2024
Despite the fines and warnings, Trump remains defiant, stating outside the courtroom that the gag order is unconstitutional and restricts his ability to speak out while others are free to talk about him. The trial continues as Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial.