Judge Juan Merchan held another gag order hearing Thursday morning to consider the prosecution’s four additional allegations against former President Donald Trump in the hush money trial.
Prosecutors are asking for a $1,000 maximum fine for each alleged violation, but they told Merchan they are not seeking to put Trump in jail. Trump earlier this week was fined $9,000 for nine violations of the gag order.
The judge did not immediately issue a ruling Thursday. Here’s what to know:
Prosecutors allege several gag order violations:
• Trump is impacting the fairness of the trial: “His statements are corrosive to this proceeding and the fair administration of justice,” prosecutor Chris Conroy said. “The defendant is doing everything he can to make this case” about politics.
• Trump is aware of gag order parameters: Conroy reminded the court that Trump attorney Todd Blanche assured the judge last week that the former president “does, in fact, know what the gag order allows him to do and not allow him to do.”
• No jail request: Prosecutors told the judge they were not seeking that Trump be incarcerated for the violations.
Trump’s defense argues he did not violate gag order:
• Trump needs to defend himself against attacks: Blanche argued that upcoming witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels are “not people who need to be protected.”
• “Daring” Trump to reply: “Cohen has been inviting and almost daring President Trump to respond to almost everything he’s saying,” Blanche said. He added that Daniels shouldn’t be covered by the gag order either, though he acknowledged that her comments about Trump are not so “voluminous.” Merchan reiterated that the order means Trump is “not allowed to refer” to foreseeable witnesses.
