It’s becoming a pattern for Donald Trump to be issued gag orders in his various court cases, just as much as it is a pattern that he continues to violate them. The judge in his current lawsuit, the one that has accused the former president of falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up the $130K hush money payment he paid Stormy Daniels after their alleged affair, has fined Trump numerous times, trying to get him to abide by the rules, but he is unfortunately finding no success. Keep reading for more details.
Judge Fines Donald Trump $9,000 For Violating Gag Order In Hush Money Trial
One would think that someone who spends as much time in a courtroom as Donald Trump would know all the rules of how to act in court, but it seems as if he's still learning the ropes. After being ordered not to make public comments about other individuals involved in the lawsuit, he appears to think it's more of a suggestion.
On April 30th, Donald Trump was fined $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that prohibited him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors, and others connected to the hush money case. Judge Juan Merchan found that the 77-year-old violated the gag order nine separate times, and fined him $1,000 for each violation.
Donald Trump Fined $1,000 For Violating Gag Order
Once again, Donald Trump has failed to adhere by the laws of the courtroom and violated his gag order yet again. Judge Merchan fined him $1,000, but realizes that the fines don't seem to be doing much—although, they should, given how much money Trump owes from his recent losses in court.
"It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent. Therefore going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction," Judge Merchan said. According to him, Trump's statements "threaten to interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow that to continue."
Despite Trump's glares sent towards the judge and claims from his supporters that he has it out for the former president, Judge Merchan assured him that all he wants is a fair and just courtroom. "The last thing I want to do is put you in jail,” he said. “You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president, as well. There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for me. To take that step would be disruptive to these proceedings, which I imagine you want to end as quickly as possible."
