Prosecutors say Trump violated his gag order 10 times. The judge is finally set to weigh in.

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

04/22/2024 06:41 PM EDT


On Monday, Manhattan prosecutors began trying to persuade a jury that Donald Trump is guilty of 34 felonies in his hush money case. On Tuesday, they’ll try to persuade the judge that he deserves a more immediate penalty: They want him held in contempt.

The prosecutors say Trump has repeatedly violated a gag order that prohibits him from attacking witnesses, jurors and others involved in the case. Justice Juan Merchan has scheduled a Tuesday morning hearing, outside the presence of the jury, to consider the prosecutors’ arguments.

If Merchan agrees that Trump has defied the gag order, he’ll then face the thorny question of what to do about it. His options range from a sternly worded warning to a modest fine to a short stint in jail.

Several former prosecutors said they expect Merchan to be lenient. But they also noted that the situation is fluid, unpredictable, and — it goes without saying — unprecedented.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/22/trump-hush-money-trial-gag-order-contempt-00153154

[Oopsie Daisy]

1. I vote for Trump spending a weekend in jail.

[dutch777]

6. "Stint in jail" is my vote too. Pity the Secret Service agents that end up in there with him.

Makes me wonder, if his SS detail is one folks volunteer for or get assigned as punishment?

[Mike Niendorff]

2. Revoke his bond.

Then jail him for the duration -- just like anyone else who flagrantly and repeatedly violates a court order in a criminal trial.


MDN

[GreenWave]

3. Debtor's prison once SCROTUS rules against the homeless.

[jimmiles]

4. Who wouldn't want to be the judge who first put that smirking pig behind bars?

amiright?

[MOMFUDSKI]

5. Is there a judge

in the land? We wait

[PSPS]

7. LOL. "they expect Merchan to be lenient." Quelle surprise

I predict yet another "sternly worded warning."

Our joke of a justice system cowers in the corner when it comes to trump. It's disgusting.

[onenote]

8. The law is clear -- maximum fine of $1000 per violation and-or 30 days in jail

And virtually no one ever gets jail time the first time they appear before a judge for violating a gag order, particularly where the trial itself was not disrupted by a violation occurring in front of the judge. DA Bragg, who knows the law better than any poster, only has asked for the maximum monetary fine and has not sought jail time.

I'm sure the above explanation of the law won't stop some posters from dumping on the judge when he doesn't go beyond what Bragg has requested and doesn't sent Trump to jail or fine him far more than the law allows.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. I know I always point out how judges go through an escalation process

before imposing an increasing level of sanctions. The poster child of that was the 6 months of “please stop” and imposition of increasing restrictions before Sam Bankman-Fried was finally jailed for contempt ahead of his trial last fall.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/11/us-judge-sends-sam-bankman-fried-to-jail-over-witness-tampering.html

[EndlessWire]

11. I suppose the source is everything

but, I trust these guys. MT mentioned in passing that the Prosecutors in today's gag hearing plan to file yet another Order To Show Cause this very day. They told the Judge that they weren't asking for jail time yet. So, I think that by Thursday the Judge will be scheduling another hearing on the matter, one at which he can surely order at least a few hours in jail, because the Prosecutors may ask for it.

The Judge hasn't ruled yet on today's hearing, so they have plenty of time to complain about further gag violations before the Judge admonishes Trump to STFU. I think perhaps that's why they told the Judge, and he isn't giving an immediate ruling.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Lock him up