Former President Trump accused the judge presiding over his trial in Manhattan of “rigging” the 2024 election after ruling that the 45th president violated a gag order stemming from the incident. criticized as
“This judge has stripped me of my constitutional right to free speech. I am the only gagged presidential candidate in history,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday.
“This entire ‘trial’ is fabricated and by taking away my freedom of speech, this highly contradictory judge is rigging the 2024 presidential election. Election interference!!!” Trump continued..
Earlier Tuesday, Judge Juan Melchan ruled that Trump violated a gag order that prohibits court officials from speaking publicly about witnesses or family members. The judge ruled that President Trump violated the order nine times with social media posts and was fined $1,000 for each violation. Trump was ordered to pay $9,000 for violating the gag order.
Live updates: New York v. Trump trial enters third week as judge fines Trump for violating gag order
Former President Trump sits in a Manhattan courtroom on April 22, 2024, in New York City. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid/Pool)
Following the ruling, President Trump removed social media posts from his Truth Social account that were found to violate the order. Marchand’s ruling comes after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office accused Trump of violating the order 14 times since it was ordered last month.
Marchand’s order details that President Trump’s “continued and willful violations” of the gag order could result in “prison terms” if “necessary and appropriate.” mentioned.
NY V Trump: Judge ‘unfortunately’ regrets not being able to impose greater fine on 45th president in gag order ruling
President Trump has called the entire incident a “fraud” and has repeatedly criticized the gag order. Promoted by the Biden administration He said the gag order stripped him of his ability to protect himself from charges in the case.
A courtroom sketch depicts the third day of former President Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on April 18, 2024. (Kristin Cornell)
“We have a gag order in place, which is completely unconstitutional to me. I’m not allowed to talk, but people are allowed to talk about me,” Trump said outside. They can talk about me.” new york city courtroom last week. “They can say whatever they want, they can lie, but I’m not allowed to say anything. I just sit there and ask why the opposing judge ordered me to speak. I have to think about it.” [a] gag order,” Trump said in comments outside court last week.
President Trump on Tuesday morning once again called Marchan “inconsistent” and called on him to recuse himself from the lawsuit.
“This is a hoax. This is a conflicted judge. Very, very, very conflicted. I’ve never seen a judge so conflicted and effectively rule nothing,” Trump said. He spoke outside the courtroom before the start of his ninth trial. Day.
“I’m going to sit in a frigid icebox for about eight or nine hours. They removed me from campaigning. But the good news is my poll numbers are the highest they’ve ever been. So at least we do.” And everyone knows that this trial is a fraud. The judge should resign today, and he probably will,” Trump said.
The former president had previously mentioned Marchand’s daughter and her accomplishments. Political consultant for Democratic politicians The judge said the reason for this was that it was “inconsistent.”
Judge fines thousands of people for violating gag order, warns of possible ‘confinement’ next
Judge Juan Melchan (AP Photo/Seth Wenig/File)
In Judge Marchan’s ruling on the gag order on Tuesday, the judge lamented that he could not fine Trump more than $1,000 for each violation. He wrote in his order that it would be “desirable if the court could impose a fine commensurate with the suspect’s wealth.”
Former President Trump attends the first day of his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 15, 2024. (Angela Weiss/AFP via AP Pool)
“In some cases it could be a $2,500 fine, in other cases it could be a $150,000 fine. There is no hidden discretion in this court, so in some cases it could be a fine of $2,500, and in other cases it could be a fine of $150,000. “We must consider whether this constitutes a necessary punishment,” he said. and reiterated that if President Trump continues to violate this order, he could face prison time.
President Trump is on trial on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He has pleaded not guilty to each charge and has denounced the case as a “witch hunt” and a “fraud.”
A courtroom sketch depicts the second day of former President Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan Criminal Court on April 16, 2024. (Kristin Cornell)
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New York v. Trump case The magazine said President Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to silence former porn actor Stormy Daniels’ claims that she had an affair with the then-real estate mogul in 2006. is focused on. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels.
Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen and fraudulently recorded the payments as legal costs. Prosecutors are working to prove that Trump falsified records to commit or conceal a second crime, a felony that violates New York state law called “conspiracy.” promote or prevent an election. ”
