Legal Hearing Regarding Gag Order in Trump-Cohen Dispute

Judge Juan Merchan is reviewing whether to impose a fine on Donald Trump for continuously breaking the gag order that prevents the ex-president from talking about witnesses or jurors in the criminal hush money case.

Former President Donald Trump sits in court for his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 22, in New York City.

Former President Donald Trump sits in court for his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 22, in New York City.

Victor J. Blue/Pool/Getty Images

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Merchan is scheduled to hold a hearing on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. ET. The Manhattan district attorney’s office has filed a motion accusing Trump of breaking the gag order multiple times. Trump's social media posts about his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and the jury in his case are the reasons behind the accusations.

The prosecutors are asking Merchan to impose a $1,000 fine for each violation. They also want to remind Trump that any future breaches of the court's restrictions on his public statements could result in additional fines. In the worst-case scenario, Trump could face a jail term of up to thirty days.

Last week, prosecutor Chris Conroy emphasized the importance of the court reminding Mr. Trump that he is a criminal defendant. Like all criminal defendants, he is subject to court supervision.

Trump has been in a feud with Michael Cohen.

Trump has continued to feud with Cohen, his former attorney and a key witness for the prosecution in the case. He complained that Cohen has been posting about him and he’s not allowed to respond. Despite this, Trump still criticized Cohen on camera after leaving court on Monday.

In his remarks, Trump claimed that the things Cohen got in trouble for had nothing to do with him. He emphasized that Cohen's legal issues were related to his ownership of a taxicab company, medallions, borrowing money, and other matters. Trump made it clear that these issues were separate from his own involvement.

Cohen took to Twitter to reply, calling out Von ShitzInPantz for their desperate attacks. He suggested that it would be beneficial for Von ShitzInPantz to testify in their defense.

Cohen had previously served time in federal prison for admitting to violating federal campaign laws. This was in connection to a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, which is a key part of the accusations against Trump. Additionally, Cohen was also found guilty of tax evasion related to taxi medallions and providing false information to a bank for a home loan.

Trump's legal team claims that his social media comments do not break the gag order. Last week, Trump's lawyer Emil Bove stated that Cohen was targeting Trump in relation to the campaign, and Trump's reactions were also linked to the campaign.

An aerial view of former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. August 15, 2022. REUTERS/Marco Bello

An aerial photo was taken of former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump claimed that FBI agents had raided the property on August 15, 2022. The image was captured by Marco Bello for Reuters.

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Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche, in his opening statement on Tuesday, mentioned Cohen's negative comments about Trump. Blanche accused Cohen of being overly focused on trying to bring down Trump, pointing out that Cohen had even posted about Trump the night before.

Blanche emphasized, "His entire financial well-being is tied to President Trump's downfall."

Prosecutors referenced several posts made by Trump on Truth Social in court filings last week. One post shared a New York Post article alleging, "A serial perjurer will attempt to revive an old misdemeanor case against Trump, causing embarrassment to the New York legal system."

Additionally, Trump's post included a link regarding the jury, stating, "They are uncovering undercover Liberal Activists who are lying to the Judge in an attempt to be selected for the Trump Jury, as reported by Jesse Watters."

The jury was asked by Merchan to come at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday for the second day of the trial. The discussion on the gag order violations will not be heard by the jury. Merchan mentioned that if the arguments on the gag order were not concluded by 11 a.m., they would resume the hearing at a later time.

Court will be in session until 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday due to the Passover holiday.

Editor's P/S:

The ongoing legal battle between Judge Juan Merchan and former President Donald Trump over the latter's alleged violations of a gag order is a testament to the importance of maintaining the integrity of the judicial system. Trump's repeated social media posts about witnesses and jurors in his hush money case demonstrate a disregard for the court's authority and a potential attempt to influence the outcome of the trial.

It is crucial that the court takes swift and decisive action to address these violations. The proposed fines and potential jail time serve as a warning to Trump and others who may consider flouting court orders. The jury's impartiality is paramount, and any attempts to compromise it must be met with severe consequences. By holding Trump accountable for his actions, the court sends a clear message that no one is above the law and that the rights of all parties involved in a legal proceeding must be protected.