According to Mediaite, Judge Arthur Engoron of the New York Attorney General’s court confronted attorneys representing former President Donald Trump, demanding an explanation for the persistent online presence of an inflammatory attack on his staff, in direct violation of a gag order. Despite Trump’s conspicuous absence from court on Friday, the proceedings were charged with tension as the judge probed into the issue, potentially paving the way for punitive action, including imprisonment, against the former President.
The matter revolved around a gag order imposed by Judge Engoron, forbidding Trump from disparaging the court’s staff, prompted by an earlier instance where Trump had targeted the judge’s principal law clerk on his Truth Social platform. The Judge expressed his dismay upon discovering that the offending post remained on Trump’s 2024 campaign website for a staggering 17 days, contravening the court’s explicit directive.
In light of this flagrant disregard for the court’s authority, Judge Engoron minced no words, emphasizing the potential grave consequences of spreading falsehoods and its potential to incite physical harm. He underscored his willingness to levy severe sanctions or even contemplate imprisonment, emphasizing the gravity of the offense.
However, Trump’s defense attorney, Chris Kise, attempted to mitigate the severity of the situation, citing the removal of the Truth Social post following the court’s instruction. Kise acknowledged the oversight on the campaign website, expressing regret and extending an apology on behalf of his client.
“I ordered him to remove the post immediately and he said he did take it down,” Engoron said.
He continued, “Despite this order, last night I learned the offending post was never removed from a website. This is a blatant violation of the gag order. I made it clear [that] failure to comply will result in serious sanctions.”
Engoron said the post, however, remained on Trump’s 2024 campaign website for 17 days and was removed late Thursday night after the court emailed him. The judge imposed the limited gag order in early October.
“Incendiary untruths can and have led to serious physical harm. I will now allow the defendant to explain why this should not end up with serious sanctions or I could possibly imprison him,” Engoron said.
In response, Trump’s defense attorney, Chris Kise said, “Based on my understanding this was truly inadvertent.”
“The Truth Social post was taken down when the court asked,” Kise said. “Truth Social was taken down and Trump never made any more comments about court staff, but it appears no one took it down on the campaign website. It is unfortunate and I apologize on behalf of my client.”
Judge Engoron, while considering Kise’s explanation, did not immediately dispense with the matter. The episode underscored the escalating tensions between the judiciary and the former President, as Trump’s presence in court continued to attract significant attention, despite his absence on this particular occasion. The saga highlighted the ongoing legal battle between Trump and the New York Attorney General, encapsulating the combustible nature of their legal discourse and the potential ramifications of flouting court directives.
