By Jesus Garcia
May 7, 2024, 10:16 AM EDT
The ex-president Donald Trump could face imprisonment the next time he violates the silence order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan.
“The defendant is notified that, if appropriate and justified, the violations Future of his legal orders will be punishable by imprisonment“Says the judge’s order this Monday, when he determined that the Republican had violated the order for the tenth time.
Trump faces 34 criminal charges for suspicious transactions involving the payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels. The accusations include violations of tax and electoral laws.
Due to his constant statements against Judge Merchan, prosecutors and other court personnel, as well as potential witnesses, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office requested the restraining order on comments, which led to a gag order.
Last week, Trump was fined $9,000 for violating the order nine times, but this Monday he was fined an additional $1,000 for his comments about witnesses, including his former lawyer Michael Cohen, considered the star witness in the case.
Trump’s comments are not always verbal, as he uses his Thruth Social platformfrom which Judge Merchan also ordered the messages to be removed on specific dates.
For example, on May 6, the Republican had to remove messages that led him to obtain his first sanctions for violating the silence order.
This Tuesday, Daniels was called as a witness in Trump’s case, where beyond confirming that she received the payment, she could explain how Cohen gave her the money to prevent her from talking about the relationship she had with the former president.
Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg accuses, among other things, that Trump had created a fraudulent scheme to hide the payment to Daniels from voters in 2016, which could have complicated his election that year.
The former president has expressed his annoyance at the trial, which he considers a “witch hunt,” in addition to pointing out that it is a political strategy to stop him in the electoral process, since the judge ordered that he must be present throughout the entire process.
However, there are no hearings on Wednesdays, nor on weekends, so Trump can hold campaign events, as he will do in Minnesota next week.
Keep reading:
- Trump once again violates the gag order imposed on him and rants against Michael Cohen
- Trump again attacks Judge Juan Merchan for prohibiting him from speaking about his trial
- What is the case of porn actress Stormy Daniels in which Trump becomes the first former US president to face a criminal trial?