Former President Donald Trump continued his defiance against a trial judge presiding over a case that could send him to jail. Despite a gag order, Trump railed against the conduct of the prosecutor and trial judge.
The comments could have sent Trump to jail for the first time in his life. Instead, Trump received good news from the judge, and better results for his campaign.
Part of Trump’s complaint against the judge revolved around a request for some special time with his family, particularly for his son, Barron. How the judge responded was surprising considering the threats of jail he has hurled at the former president.
From Fox News:
The judge presiding over the NY v. Trump trial in Manhattan granted former President Donald Trump permission on Tuesday to attend his son’s high school graduation in Florida next month.“I don’t think the May 17 date is a problem,” Judge Juan Merchan told the court Tuesday morning of Barron Trump’s graduation date.
Trump is a huge family man and holds dear his time spent with his wife and all his children. Trump had pushed for weeks to attend his son’s high school graduation on May 17 in Florida. A decision on the matter was left in limbo until Tuesday. Trump speculated earlier this month he would be denied leaving Manhattan for the event.
Trump has endured to date nine days of the trial in Manhattan, where he is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He has publicly criticized the judge and others related to the case and called the entire proceeding a “hoax.” Trump’s heavy criticism cost him some money this week and set him up for possible jail time.
Judge Merchan ordered Trump to pay $9,000 in fines for violating a gag order that bans him from speaking publicly about witnesses and family members of court officials. The judge found he violated the order on nine separate occasions, with each violation resulting in a $1,000 fine.
The judge warned that if Trump continues with “willful violations” of the gag order that he could be looking at “incarceratory punishment” if “necessary and appropriate.”
Trump was quick to address the press before court proceedings on Tuesday, calling on Merchan to recuse himself in a trial that is being conducted by a “badly conflicted judge.” Trump managed to address a huge positive result for his campaign because of the trial.
“They took me off the campaign trail,” Trump said. “But the good news is my poll numbers are the highest they’ve ever been. So at least we’re getting the word out. And everybody knows this trial is a scam. It’s a scam. The judge should be recused, that he should recuse himself today… he should recuse himself today.”
Key Takeaways:
- Trump received good news about attending the high school graduation of his son, Barron.
- The judge in the NY “hush money” trial agreed to let Trump leave Manhattan for the event.
- Trump was fined for criticism of the trial but continued to call the case a complete “hoax.”
Source: Fox News
