Judge Juan Merchan recently noted former President Donald Trump in contempt of court and stated that the next step would be jail time in a scathing ruling to Trump at his trial via Mediaite.
From CNN:
Judge finds Trump in contempt for 10th time
Judge Juan Merchan has found Trump in contempt for a 10th time for additional gag order violations.
“I find you in criminal contempt for the 10th time,” the judge says.
“Going forward this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” Merchan says, noting the $1,000 fine is not stopping him.
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Judge to Trump: “The last thing I want to do is put you in jail”
The judge tells Trump “incarceration is truly a last resort.”
“Mr. Trump its important you understand the last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well,” Judge Juan Merchan says.
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Trump is looking at Merchan while he’s speaking
Trump was looking at Judge Juan Merchan while he was speaking.
“The magnitude of this decision is not lost on me but at the end of the day I have a job to do,” Merchan says. “So as much as I don’t want to impose a jail sanction…I want you to understand that I will if necessary and appropriate.”
“But at the end of the day I have a job to do and part of that job his to protect the dignity of this judicial system,” he says.
Trump just shook his head as they handed down the paper copy of the ruling.
“Your continued willful violations of this court’s lawful order” constitute a “direct attack on the rule of law,” Merchan says.
