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5 months ago
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Judge Juan Merchan once again found Donald Trump in contempt for violating a gag order during his Stormy Daniels trial – slapping on a new fine and threatening to jail him if he determines violations continue.
Merchan blasted Trump for ‘continued and willful’ violations barring comments on witnesses and others he said might threaten the 'fair administration of justice.'
‘I cannot allow that to continue. As much as I do not want to impose a jail sanction ... I will if necessary and appropriate,' he said inside court at the start of the 12th day of Trump's trial.
The judge slapped Trump with a $1,000 fine for the violation, which comes in addition to additional findings following an earlier hearing that resulted in fines totalling $9,000.
Judge Juan Merchan admonished Donald Trump and again threatened him with jail 'if warranted' if he violates a gag order against him
The judge said Trump's repeated comments constitute a 'direct attack' on the process and would not be allowed to continue.
'Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration.'
But the billionaire avoided some additional fines Monday. The judge ruled that three earlier public statements raised by prosecutors didn't meet the threshold of beyond a reasonable doubt.
Trump was back in court for Day 12 of his criminal trial in the Stormy Daniels case
'Defendant is hereby put on notice that if appropriate and warranted, future violations of its lawful orders will be punishable by incarceration,' said Merchan, who had already fined Trump $9,000
The admonition from the bench came just minutes after Trump delivered another of his broadsides from inside the courthouse, complaining about the gag order the judge imposed on him, and repeatedly calling him 'conflicted.'
'The judge is totally conflict – is totally conflicted, and you ought to take a look at it,' Trump told reporters. He was referencing his own repeated attacks on the judge due to his daughter's work for an online advocacy firm with top Democratic clients.
'And I'm not supposed to be talking about it,' Trump said with lawyer Todd Blanche at his side. 'But I am allowed to say that the judge has a conflict like nobody's ever had before. You to take a look at it,' he said.
'He's taken away my constitutional right to speak ,' Trump fumed.
Trump is accused of 34 counts of falsifying financial records in the case, which on Friday featured tearful testimony by his former longtime aide Hope Hicks.
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