Judge Arthur Engoron fined former President Donald Trump $5,000 and hinted at possible imprisonment for breaking a partial gag order during his $250 million civil fraud trial on Friday.
The order required Trump to remove a post disparaging the judge’s law clerk from his social media.
Judge’s Frustration Over Trump’s Gag Order Violation
Judge Engoron expressed his frustration at the former president for failing to comply with the gag order, which Trump had violated by posting an untrue and disparaging comment about the judge’s clerk.
Engoron had ordered Trump to remove the post immediately, but it remained on his 2024 campaign website for 17 days. Only after a court email did the post finally get removed late Thursday night.
In response to these violations, Judge Engoron warned Trump that future breaches of the gag order would lead to far more severe sanctions, including steeper financial penalties, contempt of court charges, and the possibility of imprisonment.
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Trump’s Partial Gag Order in Another Case
Trump’s defense attorney, Chris Kise, argued that the violation was inadvertent and apologized on behalf of his client, claiming that the Truth Social post had been taken down as requested by the court. However, the post’s presence on the campaign website remained a significant concern for the judge.
Trump’s comments not only targeted the clerk but also implied an inappropriate relationship between the clerk and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, an accusation vehemently denied by Schumer’s spokesperson.
Trump faces a partial gag order in another criminal case, where he is banned from making statements about potential witnesses or disparaging comments about prosecutors. He had requested the order to be lifted, citing First Amendment concerns, and was temporarily granted this request by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
The ongoing New York civil fraud trial, initiated by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleges that Trump and his two adult sons inflated the former president’s net worth to secure favorable loan agreements, involving over 200 instances of fraud spanning a decade.
The Attorney General is seeking approximately $250 million in penalties, as well as permanent restrictions on the Trump family’s involvement in New York companies and Trump’s real estate dealings in the state for five years.
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