Trump and Trial’s Central Witness Share a Tortured History
TimeApr 29
Trump Fined $9K for Violating Gag Order
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The Facts
Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday fined former US Pres. Donald Trump $1K for each of the nine Truth Social posts the judge said violated Trump's limited gag order in the New York "hush money" case. Merchan also threatened Trump with jail time for further violations.
The limited gag order issued by Merchan in the former president's trial in New York prohibits Trump from making public statements surrounding likely witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, or their families. Trump has so far unsuccessfully appealed the contempt charge in an appeals court.
The Spin
Anti-Trump narrative
This is a small penalty for Trump's blatant flaunting of the gag order. Merchan may have to up the ante, and even consider jail time if Trump doesn't cease attempting to put his thumb on the scale of justice with insulting posts and accusatory statements about witnesses and other members of the court.
Pro-Trump narrative
It's absurd that Trump is being punished when people like Daniels and Cohen have been profiting off public interviews and their accusations about the former president. Trump has merely been reiterating his long-held, correct views about this case being a witch hunt against him, and his First Amendment rights have been taken away.
