Trump Fined Again for Violating Gag Order

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Facts

• Former Pres. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2024 presidential election, was fined the maximum of $1K again Monday for violating the gag order imposed in his New York hush money trial.¹
• Previously, Judge Juan Merchan last week fined Trump $1K each for nine Truth Social posts that were deemed in violation of the gag order, which prohibits Trump from making public statements related to likely witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, or their families.²
• In issuing the latest fine, Merchan cited Trump's comments in an April interview saying the jury was 'picked so fast' and was '95% Democrats.' Merchan demanded that if the statements were posted to Truth Social, it should be removed by 2:15 p.m.¹
• Merchan also reiterated his threat to incarcerate Trump for future violations, although the judge said it's 'the last thing' he wants to do because it would be 'disruptive to the proceedings.'¹
• Testimony continued Monday in the case featuring Trump facing 34 charges of falsifying business records to cover up an alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.³

Sources: ¹NBC, ²Verity and ³Associated Press.

Narratives

• Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by Huffington Post. This is a small penalty for Trump's blatant flaunting of the gag order. Merchan may have to up the ante, and even consider jail time if Trump doesn't cease attempting to put his thumb on the scale of justice with insulting posts and accusatory statements about witnesses and other members of the court.
• Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by The Post Millennial. It's absurd that Trump is being punished when people like Daniels and Cohen have been profiting off public interviews and their accusations about the former president. Trump has merely been reiterating his long-held, correct views about this case being a witch hunt against him, and his First Amendment rights have been taken away.

Predictions