TRUMP TRIAL: Judge Merchan fines Trump again, expressly states jail is next

[Tommy Carcetti]

Link to tweet

I think he’s serious.

The predicate has been established.

Next violation means jail.

The only reason he’s not being jailed today is that the prosecution filed their most recent motion before he entered his most recent order.

[TwilightZone]

1. "Next violation means jail." -- no, it doesn't.

"will have to consider a jail sanction" and "next violation means jail" are not the same thing.

"The only reason he’s not being jailed today is that the prosecution filed their most recent motion before he entered his most recent order."

There's no evidence of that, either.

[Tommy Carcetti]

5. Technically Merchan has had the opportunity to consider a jail sanction since the first violation

I believe—and I understand—that he was hesitant to immediately impose a jail sanction off the bat because it could make him appear unduly harsh or biased. Rather he wanted to build a predicate in the event he would choose to jail later on.

But he would have been allowed to jail Trump immediately if he wanted to. The law permits that.

It’s pretty clear to read in between the lines though when you read that statement from this morning. He’s made his final warning.

Re: last week’s order…

That order had a more explicit threat of jail time. But the order he gave today was based on a motion the prosecution had filed before that order was issued. So if the judge had jailed Trump today based on that order, Trump’s lawyers would have cried foul because they’d claim it was imposed after the fact. Judge Merchan has to tread firmly but also delicately.

[FakeNoose]

51. Judge Merchan KNOWS there will be further violations - it's a safe bet

This is all part of Chump's game of daring the judge to lock him up.

[onenote]

26. The fact that the prosecution's motion pre-dated the prior order is one reason jail time was off the table.

Another reason was that the prosecution hasn't asked for jail time and Merchan isn't going to order jail time that the prosecution isn't requesting.

[3Hotdogs]

29. It's like my neighbor, disciplining her misbehaving 6 y.o.

"David, if you don't stop doing that, I;m going to tell you to stop doing it again."

[Comfortably_Numb]

44. And again, and next time, will be the next time...smh.

[Tommy Carcetti]

32. Exactly.

Thanks.

[Tommy Carcetti]

31. In response to your second point, basically it is summed up as this:

Link to tweet

[dalton99a]

2. After consideration, more consideration needs to be considered

[Farmer-Rick]

36. Next time he violates the order

Then and only then will he be put in jail.

That's a possibility of a firm maybe. We'll see.

[Tommy Carcetti]

42. Merchan was never going to immediately order Trump to jail.

He isn't going to risk the chance of a mistrial or reversal, so he was going to afford him several very clear warning shots before acting on it.

This, I believe, is the very last warning shot.

I honestly believe the next violation there will be some sort of incarceration. It almost certainly won't be in the general detention center, but it could very likely be within a holding cell in the courthouse itself. Or even restricting him to an empty courtroom or jury room elsewhere in the courthouse without access to his cell phone.

[Faux pas]

3. What's with all

the pussy footing around???? Jail the ASSHOLE already!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tickle]

4. tRump wants jail time

He thinks this will make him a martyr. Jail him and he'll come back with prison reform. Trump works best when he feels he's under attack. This can be the only reason no judge has sent him to jail.

[mopinko]

7. i agree. headlines in every paper in the country.

and prolly few will use a pic of him in handcuffs, let alone an orange jumpsuit.
but it will b everywhere, including t-shirts, memes, buttons, bumper stickers, coffee cups.
he thinks that will b a good thing.
good.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. It's not the only reason, but your main point is good. tRump has repeatedly played the victim card

(paraphrasing):

"It's a witch hunt!"

"Nobody has ever been treated as unfairly as I have."

"Only banana republic leaders prosecute (jail) their political opponents."

"They are after you. I'm only in the way."

[Tickle]

13. That last line is the

bada bing bada boom

[GB_RN]

40. And When He Trots Out That Line...

Only banana republic leaders prosecute (jail) their political opponents.

Then a good reporter would fact check him and say, “So, France, Italy, and South Korea, just to name three off the top of my head, are banana republics? Because according to you, since they have prosecuted and jailed former leaders, that would mean these allies and industrialized countries, are banana republics.
Further, I would also say that there have been plenty of people throughout history who have been treated way worse than you claim to have been. Victims of real witch hunts such as the Salem Witch Trials, and the Spanish Inquisition; the Jews and other Holocaust victims; African Americans and their ancestors who were brought here as slaves; Native Americans; the Palestinians, and many other minorities now and throughout history.”

Of course, that would take a reporter with an actual spine and convictions. Not many of those around these days.

[PortTack]

10. "Thinks" he wants jail time. He would be totally destroyed, especially without his steady supply of adderall

Hair and makeup stylist and McDonald’s

[Tickle]

11. True, thanks for the correction. NT

[birdographer]

12. And his phone to whine about it all.... nt

[Montauk6]

20. Meh, they'll probably put him under house arrest

Privilege, privilege, privilege, after all.

[PatSeg]

33. House arrest without access

to his phone, plus being unable to campaign could be effective, though his campaign and the RNC would claim it was political.

[Tommy Carcetti]

14. There's a fine line to be walked.

Trump might want to be seen as a martyr but he has no desire at all to be an actual martyr.

He’s complained about the air conditioning in the courtroom…just imagine how he’d take to a cell.

Even if his “cell” is simply an empty courtroom or jury room and he has to sit in it for a couple of hours without access to his phone…he’d still absolutely hate it.

Judge Merchan has been properly cautious leading up to this point, but any further business I don’t think he’s going to hold back. He was very explicit today.

[markbark]

21. Like a toddler

Tr*mp has fixated on a word he thinks is powerful and thus he keeps repeating it.
Maybe someone should take him aside and explain that one of the defining characteristics of a "martyr" is that they have DIED for their beliefs.

....now if he wants to take up that proposition, I'm sure there would be no objections among the general populace.

[tinrobot]

22. It could easily make him look weak rather than a martyr

He's only sounds tough when he's sitting with his phone on a golden toilet or speaking in front of a sycophantic rally.

Jail will remove his ability to control the narrative. I could see him having some sort of narcissistic break or freak out under those conditions.

[Tickle]

56. It's going to take me all

day, possibly longer, to get the image of tRump sitting on a Golden toilet. 🤗. The good news is I couldn't continue eating my cheese burger. ( On a diet)🚽🚽🧻🪠

[Botany]

6. Judge Merchan is in a tricky situation here because if he jails Trump then his lawyers fill ...

…. for a mistrial which Trump will sell as a win but if he doesn’t then Trump will keep
working to disrupt the trial with his antics.

[tinrobot]

25. The judge has given him plenty of warning, doubt there will be a mistrial.

Anybody else with 10 violations would be in jail right now.

[Botany]

35. All too are true D.V.S.P. has been testing the Court and the Judge's patience from the jump

On the 1st day of the trial V.S.P. was going out the front door of midtown building @ 8:45 am with
the trial set to start @ 9 am at the southern tip of Manhattan needless to say he was late. Why V.S.P.
gets extra chances is beyond me because he is out on bail and as such he has to do what the
Court tells him to do.

[Tommy Carcetti]

9. Text of contempt order:

https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/DOcontempt_5-6-24FINAL.pdf

[ClearSky24]

15. I'm preparing popcorn.

I really think Trump will be put in a holding cell in the near future (within the next month or two).

[Ohioboy]

16. How about some kind of community service?

Trump in an orange suit picking up trash along a highway

[riversedge]

19. I have thought the same for a LONG time now.

[catbyte]

17. I'll believe it when I see it, and I'd sure like to see it, lol.

[riversedge]

18. I want to see the handcuffs placed on Trump--but da** no camera's allowed in courtroom.

[RainCaster]

23. How will he behave in jail without tranquilizers or Adderall?

I'm thinking he will be close to uncontrollable by the end of the third day.

[riversedge]

30. I do not think it will happen--but one never knows. A day without his phone would be the kicker!!

[Maeve]

24. TSF just got double-dog dared to break it again

I tend to think it won't work out the way he THINKS it will.
Time will tell

[underpants]

27. Nobody tells ME what to do!

Just like bratty kid.

[Emile]

28. Just lock the stinky SOB up and take the

courthouse press microphone outside.

[Ping Tung]

34. If jailed for more than a couple of hours, will he go on a humger strike and claim torture?

I doubt the hunger strike but the mistreatment claim is assured. Playing the victim works on his rube followers every time.

[riversedge]

37. Here is the Judges writtern order. I read that it was not read aloud in the courtroom-only handed to the Trump lawyer.

Makes sense not to read when jury is present. The Judge does not want to sway the jury one way or another.

Link to tweet

[littlemissmartypants]

38. I think he should ask him if the reason he keeps violating the order is because he wants to get jail time.

Then if he says no, he'll know he's lying. He won't say yes because that's telling the truth and for a compulsive liar that's hard.

I think he should just keep fining him. He can't stop violating the order and the court can use the money. Let him.

Jail time isn't a deterrent for a psychopath.

He could hang him upside-down from the courthouse flagpole and he's still going to ramble shit and violate the order.

It's the compulsion of a psychopath and he's an idiot.

They believe that laws don't apply to them whether they are indicted and in court or not.

[miyazaki]

39. His cell will be a guarded 5 star hotel room rofl. nt

[onetexan]

41. Didn't merchan say jail last time? This is getting ridiculous.

The Con is daring merchan to jail him. Just do it!

[onenote]

48. The latest fine relates to a violation of the gag order committed before the judge warned Trump

That is one reason that jail wasn't on the table for this violation. The other reason was the the prosecution didn't request jail time for this violation.

[Silent3]

43. "It's the last thing I want to do"

Oddly enough, I wish it was the first thing he did.

Funny that.

[onenote]

49. He's being a smart and careful judge.

Social network posters don't have that obligation.

[Silent3]

59. I was *mostly* being flippant

But I’m not so sure about yet one more chance being given before jail time. It’s just as much a double standard whether it’s because Trump is an ex-President as it is if these guessing games “but that might be just what he wants you to do!” are in play.

[sop]

45. Merchan: "The last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are a former President of the United States

and possibly a future President as well.”

[onethatcares]

62. he should have ended with

"but you cannot snub your nose at the judicial principles established. Otherwise you make a mockery of that post"

yeah, I know

[ProudMNDemocrat]

46. The trial still goes on regardless whether or not TSF is in jail.

Let it be explained as to the REASONS why TSF has been jailed to those in the Courtroom so that when TSF speaks, it will be seen as a LIE on his part.

Judge Merchan is not a man to be trifled with on any account.

TSF hates NOT being in CONTROL of the narrative.

[republianmushroom]

47. We shall see if jail is next.

Trial has a long time to go.

[NNadir]

50. It's way past time to cross that Rubicon.

It must be passed however, sooner rather than later.

[Martin68]

52. The judge has been careful to make intermediate steps and issue multiple warnings. He's setting the stage for putting

Trump in jail.

[JoseBalow]

53. I dunno, I think he's serious this time

[Torchlight]

54. Not something any rational mind would see as good news for trump at all.

I think the relevant jurists are telling themselves, "Walk carefully. Assume worst case scenario for each decision and choice we make. By the book. Inside the lines. No screw ups."

I think they realize the tremendous weight of this case relative to the historical record, and are acting accordingly.

[HarryM]

55. Just put him in Rikers

In the general population. He wouldn't last a day.

[Danascot]

57. I believe that Judge Marchan

could impose jail time for violations to be served immediately on completion of the trial. More violations, more jail time.

Jail is something Trump dreads, so anticipating being jailed in the near future, especially if time to be served is piling up with each violation, will be horrible for him to contemplate. It also has the advantage of giving MAGA, the M$M and everybody else time to get used to the idea that he'll be going to jail for a time when the trial ends. And a few days in jail, the number of days to be determined ahead of time by trump himself, won't seem like much to anyone except trump. 3 days, 5 days, 10 days is nothing compared to other offenders who have to serve much longer. I think it would seem less arbitrary for the judge to impose more time when he's violated the gag order. It would be sort of an automatic mechanism: Another violation, another day in jail. It's completely up to trump. The Judge could warn trump ahead of time that this will be the consequence of his next violation and any future violations that come after it..

[EmmaLee E]

58. Make him sit in court

Where he can't speak, leave, control the show.
How about Wednesdays - when this court is generally closed?
(Hey, no need for proceedings to continue, just have him and a few controllers there.)

Sounds like incarceration to me.

[H2O Man]

60. Nope.

He did not "expressly say jail is next." He said he would "have to consider" it. Let's stick to accurate reporting here, and not raise people's hopes with non-accurate stuff.

[lees1975]

61. Threats, threats, threats, threats, threats, I'm gonna slap your hand if you don't stop, threats, threats, threats....

The justice system in this country is not capable of making consequences stick for people like Trump. Those fines for contempt would have a huge effect on most of us, on Trump, pppffffttt. They're nothing except a temptation for him to see how far he can go and keep getting away with it.


So far, he's gotten away with just about everything.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

63. "Do it again and I'm going to have Kristi Noem take you to the gravel pit."

That ought to do it.

[cstanleytech]

64. The thing is Trump clearly wants jail as it would increase the amount of free publicity he would get from the media.