It has been noted that former President Donald Trump recently blasted Judge Juan Merchan over the gag order he violated nine times just hours before his trial is set to resume via Mediaite.
Trump was found in contempt of court Tuesday for repeatedly violating Judge Merchan’s gag order in the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
It has been noted that contrary to Trump’s claims, the gag order is narrowly tailored and does not prevent him from speaking about the case or even from attacking the judge.
On Thursday morning, Trump’s first Truth Social post of the day was a rant directed at Merchan, the gag order, and the trial itself:
WE CANNOT LET THIS RADICAL LEFT, CORRUPT AND HIGHLY CONFLICTED NEW YORK DEMOCRAT JUDGE INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024 — THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. THE USA IS TRULY A NATION IN DECLINE! REMOVE THE UNCONSTITUTIONAL GAG ORDER.
The judge criticized Trump Tuesday in his contempt order and imposed the maximum fines and ordering Trump to take down the offending posts — while threatening jail for further violations:
(T)he Judiciary Law does not vest the Court with authority to craft an appropriate punishment when a $1,000 fine will not achieve the intended purpose. While $1,000 may suff,ce in most instances to protect the dignity of the judicial system, to compel tespect for its mandates and to punish the offender for disobeying a court order, it unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the contemnor can easily afford such a fine. In those circumstances, it would be preferable if the Court could impose a fine more commensurate with the wealth of the contemnor. In some cases that might be a $2,500 fine, in other cases it might be a fine of $150,000. Because this Court is not cloaked with such discretion, it must therefore consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment.
THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued u,illftrl violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment;
and it is hereby ORDERED, that Defendant pay a $1,000 fine for each of the nine violations of this Court’s lawful order by the close of business on Friday, May 3, 2024;
and it is furher ORDERED that Defendant remove the seven offending posts from Defendant’s Truth Social account and the two offending posts from his campaign website by 2:15 pm Tuesday, April 30,2024.
Despite his defiant attitude outside the courtroom and on his social media account, Trump took the posts down.
