Former President Donald Trump is back in Manhattan criminal court Thursday morning, where he faces both a contempt hearing and testimony from a lawyer who represented Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal.
On Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $1,000 for each of nine posts he made on Truth Social and his campaign website that Merchan said violated his gag order barring attacks on those involved in the hush money trial. Today, prosecutors seek additional $1,000 fines for four more comments Trump made that they say violated the gag order.
afterwards, Keith Davidson — the attorney who represented adult film actress Daniels and former Playboy model McDougal — will resume testimony to build the prosecution’s case that Trump, who is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to Daniels, and his allies allegedly colluded to bury stories about him before the 2016 election.
Live5 updates
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Thu, May 2, 2024 at 4:20 PM GMT+2
Judge to the defense: Nobody is forcing Trump to speak to the media every day
One of Trump’s alleged gag order violations occurred when he was speaking to reporters assembled outside the courtroom, as he has done every day of the trial.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Merchan pointed out to the defense that no one is forcing Trump to make a statement to the media before coming into the courtroom each day.
“He went to the press,” Merchan told defense attorney Todd Blanche, per CNN. “Nobody forced your client to stand where he went that day.”
Blanche countered that Trump has to speak to the press because he is running for president and needs to defend himself.
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Thu, May 2, 2024 at 4:12 PM GMT+2
Prosecutors detail 4 alleged gag order violations
In court, prosecutors laid out each of the four additional instances where they say Trump violated the gag order:
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In a television interview following jury selection, Trump said: “That jury was picked so fast — 95% Democrats.” Prosecutors argue that the order prohibits Trump from talking about the jury at all.
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During a recent campaign stop, Trump commented on former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, the first witness called in the trial, saying he had been “nice.” Prosecutors argue that the order prevents Trump from talking about witnesses.
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In an April 23 television interview, Trump called former attorney Michael Cohen — a key witness who is expected to testify for the prosecution — a “convicted liar.” While that is technically accurate, prosecutors say it also violated the gag order preventing Trump from talking about witnesses in the case.
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Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom in April, Trump said: “When are they going to look at all the lies that Cohen did in the last trial? He got caught lying in the last trial.”
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Thu, May 2, 2024 at 4:08 PM GMT+2
Trump attorney mentions Biden’s recent comments about Trump
Todd Blanche, a defense attorney for Trump, argued against the alleged violations of the gag order in the hush money trial.
According to CNN, Blanche asserted that President Biden derided Trump at the White House Correspondents’ dinner over the weekend when Biden said, “Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it stormy weather.”
Blanche reportedly claimed “stormy weather” was clearly a reference to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and said Trump should be able to respond to attacks from Biden, his 2024 presidential campaign rival.
CNN reported Merchan said there’s “nothing in the gag order that says he can’t” respond to Biden. The gag order bars Trump from making public statements targeting foreseeable witnesses.
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Thu, May 2, 2024 at 3:48 PM GMT+2
Another gag order hearing is underway
Trump sits at the defense table on Thursday before the start of his hush money trial. (Charly Triballeau/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) The hush money trial resumed Thursday with another hearing over allegations that Trump violated the gag order preventing him from attacking witnesses and court staff on social media.
Earlier this week, Judge Juan Merchan levied a $9,000 fine against Trump for violating the order in nine posts on Truth Social and his campaign website.
The prosecution alleges that Trump should be sanctioned for four more violations.
Per CNN, Merchan has allotted approximately 30 minutes for the hearing and said he wants to bring in the jury at 10 am ET.
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Thu, May 2, 2024 at 3:42 PM GMT+2
What Trump said when he arrived at the courthouse
Speaking to reporters outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, Trump touted the campaign rallies he held in Wisconsin and Michigan on Wednesday, a scheduled off day for the trial.
The former president then repeated his long-held complaints that the hush money case “should never have been brought.”
“If it was going to be brought,” Trump said, “it should have been brought eight years ago.”
He also applauded the New York Police Department for clearing the protesters who were occupying an administration building at Columbia University earlier this week.
“I’m so proud of New York’s finest,” he said.
Tags: Prosecutors seek gag order violation fines Keith Davidson testimony continues
