Tag: donald trump

Judge in hush money trial says Trump violated the order nine times and warns future violations could result in jail time.

The judge in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial has held the former United States president in contempt of court for repeatedly violating a gag order.

The order prohibited Trump from speaking publicly and posting on social media about individuals involved in the trial.

Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday said Trump had violated the order nine times. He fined Trump $1,000 per violation: With nine of his statements identified as breaching the order, the fine came to a total of $9,000.

Prosecutors had detailed 14 possible violations to the court, and Merchan could make more determinations at a hearing on Thursday.

The judge also ordered Trump to remove seven “offending posts” from his Truth Social account and two from a campaign website by Tuesday afternoon.

He added that Trump was “hereby warned that the court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment”.

The decision came as Trump’s criminal trial entered its third week, with witness testimony continuing on Tuesday.

The former president faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to alleged hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims she and Trump had a sexual encounter.

Many of the gag order violations relate to Daniels, as well as Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen. Both are expected to testify at the trial.

Trump is not only barred from attacking witnesses but also jurors, court staff and their relatives.

The decision came at the start of the second week of witness testimony, after the days-long testimony of former tabloid publisher David Pecker last week.

Pecker said he entered into an agreement with Trump to be the “eyes and ears” of his 2016 presidential campaign. He also testified that he coordinated with Cohen to stifle negative stories about Trump ahead of the election.

The charges against Trump relate to $130,000 he allegedly reimbursed to Cohen, after the lawyer paid Daniels for her silence.

Trump has denied any sexual liaison with Daniels. His lawyers have argued he was acting within the law.

To make felony charges stand, prosecutors must convince the jury that Trump falsified records in service of another crime. They have argued that crime included illegal efforts to influence the 2016 election, which he ultimately won over Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trump is currently the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party in the 2024 presidential election. The New York trial is the result of one of four criminal indictments Trump currently faces. The other three have yet to proceed to trial.

No matter the outcome, the proceedings are historic: Trump is the first current or former US president to face criminal prosecution.

Twelve jurors and one alternate have been sworn in to serve in the criminal trial against former United States President Donald Trump, as the third day of his New York court proceedings concludes.

Thursday saw Trump return to court after Wednesday’s weekly break. There, lawyers for both the defence and prosecution continued to haggle over which candidates to select from the jury pool.

But the proceedings started with a setback. Seven jurors had been selected and sworn in on Tuesday — only for two of those jurors to be dismissed during Thursday’s hearing.

One claimed to face pressure from family and friends about her appointment to the jury. The other was scrutinised for allegedly misrepresenting his previous interactions with the justice system.

But jury selection quickly got back on track — and a process that sometimes can stretch for weeks was wrapped up in a couple of hours, with seven more jurors picked for the 12-person panel.

Then, it was time for the lawyers and the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, to turn their attention to the alternates.

Merchan has indicated he plans to have six alternate jurors for Trump’s trial, in case any of the principal members of the jury needs to be replaced. By the end of Thursday, one had been sworn in, with five more slated to be picked as early as Friday.

Trump stands accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in relation to hush-money payments he allegedly made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 elections. He has pleaded not guilty.

Selecting a jury to render a fair and impartial verdict has been a key hurdle in the proceedings so far. Here are the highlights from day three of the historic trial:

A full panel of jurors

The defence and prosecution quickly whittled down a second batch of 96 potential jurors on Thursday, with many being promptly dismissed after saying they could not be fair and impartial.

The rest filled out the 42-point questionnaire, asking them about their employment, their educational background and their media consumption habits.

The prosecution and defence then had an opportunity to speak and question the potential jurors in a process called “voir dire”. Both sides reminded the jury pool about their responsibilities to the court.

“The problem with biases is they colour the way you look at the world. What you may believe and may not,” said Susan Necheles, a lawyer for Trump’s defence. “We wouldn’t allow someone who has a strong dislike for a certain type of people to sit on a jury of that type of person.”

Ultimate, seven more jurors were selected, filling out the 12-member jury. One alternate was named.

Another group of prospective jurors was sworn in before the end of the day, in anticipation of Friday’s continued search for alternates.

First dismissed juror describes public pressure

But Thursday’s additions to the jury panel came after some losses.

A nurse who had been previously selected to serve on the jury earlier this week was dismissed after she explained that friends, coworkers and family members had deduced her identity from media reports.

The jury in the Trump trial is supposed to be anonymous. But the woman explained she had started to face questions from her contacts about her participation in the trial.

“I don’t believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision-making in the courtroom,” the juror said.

Judge Merchan ultimately excused her from the jury panel. He reiterated that “after sleeping on it overnight, she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case”.

Questions raised about second dismissed juror

But the nurse was only the first of two seated jurors from Tuesday to be dismissed. The second faced questions about the veracity of the information he provided to the court.

Prosecutors early in the day raised concerns that the juror, identified in media reports as an IT professional, may have misrepresented himself when answering a question about whether he had ever been accused or convicted of a crime.

He had answered he had not. But on Thursday, prosecutors noted that a man with the same name had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters in Westchester County, a suburban area north of New York City.

Without offering details, Judge Merchan ultimately excused the juror. “He does not need to come back and should not come back Monday morning,” he told the court.

With that, the original seven jurors seated on Tuesday dropped down to five.

Warnings about protecting the jury pool’s identity

With one of the formerly seated jurors citing privacy concerns as a reason for leaving, Judge Merchan issued a stern warning to the court about protecting the jury pool’s anonymity.

“There’s a reason that this is an anonymous jury,” Merchan said. “It kind of defeats the purpose of that when so much information is put out there that it is very easy for anyone to identify who the jurors are.”

Last month, Merchan ruled that the jury would not be publicly named, given the sensitivity of the case — and the risk of jurors being harassed or intimidated.

Aside from the judge and court administrators, only the prosecution and the defence are allowed to know certain personal details about the candidates, in order to make informed decisions about jury selection.

But that creates a dilemma for media outlets covering the trial, as they seek to document other details about the jury candidates — without divulging their identities.

On Thursday, Judge Merchan tightened the restrictions further, calling on journalists to stop reporting on the physical appearance of potential jurors, as well as specifics about their employment history.

“We just lost what probably would have been a very good juror,” the judge said of the woman who had been previously seated on the jury. “She said she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press.”

A literal chill falls over the courtroom

The comfort of the jury pool cropped up in a different sense later in the day, as the judge addressed the chilly conditions in the courtroom.

The Manhattan criminal courthouse where the trial is unfolding is an Art Deco building that is more than 80 years old: Construction was completed in 1941.

Judge Merchan cited the older infrastructure in brushing aside a request from Trump lawyer Todd Blanche to raise the thermostat.

“There’s no question it’s cold, but I’d rather be a little cold than sweat,” the judge said.

But complaints continued, notably from Trump himself. As he left for lunch, the former president stopped by the rows of reporters seated in the courtroom and asked, “Is it cold enough?”

The frosty temperatures were enough to merit a second comment from Judge Merchan later in the day.

“I want to apologise that it’s chilly in here,” Merchan said, earning chuckles from the court. “We’re trying to do the best we can to control the temperature, but it’s one extreme or the other.”

Witnesses under wraps

In one of the final moments before Thursday’s proceedings ended, Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche asked the prosecution for the names of the first witnesses it planned to call.

But a lawyer for the prosecution, Joshua Steinglass, declined to provide the names, pointing out that Trump had a habit of bashing witnesses on his social media account.

Blanche maintained that Trump could “commit to the court and the people” that he would not write posts about any witnesses.

Judge Merchan, however, cast doubt on that argument. “That he will not tweet about any witnesses? I don’t think you can make that representation,” he said before the proceedings adjourned for the day.

Trump left the courtroom, and when he appeared outside, he carried a stack of articles to show reporters.

“These are all stories over the last few days from legal experts,” he said, flipping through the thick bunch of pages. “All of these stories are from legal experts saying how this is not a case. The case is ridiculous.”

Trump is currently facing a total of four criminal indictments, including the New York case. April’s proceedings make him the first US president, past or present, to stand trial on criminal charges.

The former president has denied wrongdoing in all the cases. He is also running for re-election this November.

So it begins. On Monday, history was made as former United States President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom for the start of his trial over charges of falsifying business records.

He became the first US president, past or present, to stand trial on criminal charges.

Monday was the start of what is expected to be a six-week-long process, according to Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the case.

The trial is also the first of four separate criminal trials Trump faces. It comes in the midst of his 2024 bid for the presidency.

Prosecutors hope to convict the former president on 34 felony charges related to hush-money payments he allegedly made to the adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claims they had an affair.

Not only did he attempt to hide the payments, but he did so in an attempt to stem bad press and conceal information from voters just months before the 2016 presidential election, prosecutors have argued. Trump went on to win that election.

On Monday, Trump appeared at the Manhattan court in his go-to uniform: a blue suit, red tie and US flag lapel pin. He was greeted by hordes of reporters and television cameras, plus a handful of supporters and protesters.

Once inside, the prosecution and defence teams began jury selection, an undertaking that could last weeks, particularly given the political sensitivities involved.

Here are six key takeaways from the first day of the New York trial:

Trump calls trial ‘assault on America’

Upon arriving at the court, Trump swiftly set the tone for his defence.

The trial is an “assault on America” and “political persecution”, the 77-year-old former president said.

Trump has regularly dismissed the charges against him as a political “witch-hunt”. He has also used the legal proceedings against him to energise his base — and collect donations — amid his myriad legal woes.

Early in the day, for instance, Trump’s campaign released a “fact sheet” on the trial, seeking to frame it as a means of tilting the upcoming presidential election in November.

“Fact 1: President Trump did nothing wrong. These charges are entirely fabricated in order to interfere in the election and distract from the failed presidency of Crooked Joe Biden,” the email said.

Trump reprised that theme outside the court, taking direct aim at Biden, his likely opponent in November.

“It’s a country that’s failing, it’s a country that’s run by an incompetent man and is very much involved in this case,” Trump said. “This is really an attack on a political opponent. That is all it is, so I’m very honoured to be here.”

He also accused the judge and prosecutors leading the case, including Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, of being partisan.

“It’s a scam. It’s a political witch hunt. It continues, and it continues forever. And we’re not going to be given a fair trial,” he told reporters at the end of the day.

Judge will not recuse himself from case

At the start of the day’s hearing, Judge Merchan denied a request from Trump’s defence team, saying once again that, no, he will not recuse himself from the trial.

Trump’s team has alleged that, since Merchan’s daughter works as a consultant with Democrats, the judge has a conflict of interest and should be taken off the case.

But Merchan said the defence team’s request relied on “a series of references, innuendos and unsupported speculation”.

Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly attempted to delay the trial, in part by calling for the judge to step down from the trial. Trump has also accused Merchan of being “corrupt”.

Merchan rejected a similar request to recuse himself last year.

Prosecutors say Trump should pay for violating gag order

Monday’s hearing also saw prosecutors seek to penalise Trump for alleged violations of a court gag order.

Judge Merchan had issued the gag order against Trump in March, prohibiting him from making statements about possible witnesses and their “potential participation” in the case.

But prosecutors on Monday said he had defied the order at least three times.

They pointed to recent social media posts Trump made, including one about his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen. Trump called him a “disgraced attorney and felon”, casting doubt on his credibility.

Cohen’s testimony is expected to be central to the prosecution’s case.

“The defendant has demonstrated his willingness to flout the order. He has attacked witnesses in the case. In the past, he has attacked grand jurors in the case,” prosecutor Christopher Conroy said.

Prosecutors asked the judge to fine Trump $1,000 for each of the posts. Judge Merchan said he would hold a hearing about the gag order later in the month.

Access Hollywood tape will not be played

​​Judge Merchan, however, quickly denied a request from the prosecution to play an Access Hollywood recording in which Trump bragged about grabbing women by their genitalia.

Merchan made a similar decision last month, ruling that the prosecution could discuss the tape but not play it in court. Prosecutors can also question witnesses about the recording, he said.

Trump’s defence team has argued that playing the tape would be “prejudicial” for a jury.

The prosecution, however, has argued the tape is important for establishing its case. The recording became public in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election, when Trump was under scrutiny for his relationships with women.

Prosecutors will seek to show this public pressure helped motivate Trump’s hush-money schemes, as he allegedly attempted to quash unflattering press.

The start of a long jury selection process

After some legal wrangling between the prosecution and the defence, the day’s main event began: jury selection.

More than 500 prospective jurors have been lined up for evaluation, 96 of whom were invited into the courtroom on Monday.

From that vast pool, the prosecution and defence team will select 12 jurors, plus six alternates.

“You are about to participate in a trial by jury. The system of trial by jury is one of the cornerstones of our judicial system,” Judge Merchan told the 96 potential jurors at the start of the day.

Each prospective juror was given a questionnaire aimed at sussing out their political bias.

They were asked where they lived, what jobs they had, what their educational background was and what media they consumed. They were also questioned about whether they had strong opinions about Trump and if they felt they could be a “fair and impartial juror”.

In Monday’s hearing, Judge Merchan appeared quick to dismiss the prospective jurors.

More than half of the 96 jurors present raised their hands to indicate they felt they could not be impartial in the case, and they were all dismissed immediately. No jurors were seated on Monday.

Trump’s woes extended outside of the courtroom, with shares of his social media company slumping by 15 percent on Monday.

Shares in the Trump Media & Technology Group, which operates the Truth Social platform, have been volatile. The shares had already fallen nearly 60 percent since the company first went public on March 26.

The company’s stock initially peaked at $70.90, and the public offering was believed to have inflated Trump’s overall wealth by billions.

However, shares were at $27.56 as Trump’s trial began.