Donald Trump Fined $10k for Violating Gag Order in Civil Fraud Trial
Former US President Donald Trump has been fined $10,000 by Justice Arthur Engoron, the New York judge overseeing his civil fraud trial. This comes as a result of Trump’s second violation of a gag order that prohibits him from making derogatory comments about court staff. The order was initially imposed on October 3, after Trump posted a photo on social media falsely claiming that the judge’s top clerk was Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer‘s girlfriend.
During a break in the trial related to Trump’s business practices, the former president made remarks to reporters in a corridor, referring to the judge as a very partisan judge and insinuating that one of his clerks was even more partisan. Justice Engoron deemed these comments a clear breach of the gag order.
Trump’s attorney, Christopher Kise, argued that the comments were not referencing the clerk but rather someone else. However, the judge dismissed this interpretation, stating, The idea that that statement would refer to the witness, that doesn’t make sense to me. Engoron warned Trump not to repeat such behavior, stating that the consequences would be worse.
Following the fine, Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 US election, left the courtroom. This is not the first time he has been penalized for violating the gag order. On October 20, the judge fined him $5,000 for failing to remove a critical post about the clerk and warned of even more severe penalties, including jail time, for future infractions.
The ongoing trial revolves around allegations that Trump and his family business, the Trump Organization, manipulated asset values and his net worth to deceive lenders and insurers. The outcome of the case could have significant implications for Trump’s business empire.
During the trial, Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, has been providing testimony against him. Cohen testified that Trump inflated the value of real estate assets to secure more favorable insurance premiums.
Cohen’s testimony marks the first face-to-face encounter between the two in five years. Since distancing himself from Trump, Cohen has become one of his fiercest critics, authoring two books and hosting a political podcast.
Justice Engoron’s clerk, who was at the center of Trump’s disparaging remarks, has been sitting alongside the judge throughout the trial, a common practice in New York state courtrooms. Trump’s legal team claimed that the clerk exhibited unprofessional behavior during Cohen’s testimony, including rolling her eyes, which they deemed inappropriate.
As the civil fraud trial continues, all eyes will be on the outcome and its potential impact on Trump’s business and political future. The fines imposed on the former president for violating the gag order serve as a reminder that court rules must be respected, regardless of personal grievances or political leanings.
