Prosecutors Want Trump Held in Contempt of Court for Violating Gag Order

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-day-one-1235004719/

35 comments

  1. ***From Rolling Stone’s Nikki McCann Ramirez and Ryan Bort:***

    Donald Trump has been in court plenty of times in the last few months, but on Monday he became the first American president to stand trial for an alleged criminal offense. Day One of the former president’s trial on charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels kicked off in Manhattan — and tensions are already running high.

    While the trial will open with what promises to be an intense jury selection process, state prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys preempted the process by arguing over what evidence will be admissible during the proceedings. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg‘s team also pushed to have Trump held in contempt of the court after allegedly violating a gag order put in place by Judge Juan Merchan.

    Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass indicated that the state would submit a request “seeking an order to show cause why Defendant should not be held in contempt” after flaunting an order from the court barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and jurors involved in the case. Steinglass argued that — among several other instances — Trump attacked two key witnesses in the case, Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, in a Wednesday Truth Social post referring to the pair as “sleazebags.”

    Read more: [https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-day-one-1235004719/](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-new-york-hush-money-trial-day-one-1235004719/)

  2. Meanwhile on truth social: “I HAVE NOTHING BUT CONTEMPT FOR THIS COURT HOPE YOUR ENJOYING SPRING!”

  3. Weird there’s no megathread. I’ve been seeing posts trying to validate the seriousness of this trial, and yet we don’t even have a megathread going.

  4. From NBC:

    Judge: If you do not show up for the trial, there will be an arrest. Do you understand?

    Trump: Yes.

    Let’s get a megathread already FFS.

  5. What the fuck. If this was anyone else they would just be fucked. His lawyers are never even going to get paid. Lol.. just doing it for publicity? wtf?

    lol. What a shit show of a human.

  6. I also want Trump held in contempt. He clearly violated the gag order and will continue to disrespect the court until he faces meaningful consequences. Treat him as you would a rebellious child.

  7. Trump is constantly committing new crimes, as he is being tried for his current crimes. Hey Donnie, don’t commit more crimes on your way to the parking lot!

  8. I’m all for sharing articles from users, but why does Rolling Stone get to post its own article with a paywall? They should be paying for promotion.

  9. These are the items that are important:

    > Merchan said that Trump could be “committed to jail” should he cause a commotion during the trial. “If you do not show up there will be an arrest,” he added of the requirement that the defendant attend every day of the proceedings.

    > Joshua Steinglass, a prosecutor on Bragg’s team, indicated that the state would submit a request “seeking an order to show cause why Defendant should not be held in contempt” after flaunting an order from the court barring him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, and jurors involved in the case. Steinglass argued that — among several other instances — Trump attacked two key witnesses in the case, Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, in a Wednesday Truth Social post referring to the pair as “sleazebags.”

    That gag order likely won’t be enforced and there’s no real need to but what it will do is apply pressure on the judge to *really* lockdown the trial deliberations and as the first item indicates, the judge is willing to give some deference to the defendant (as they should) pre-trial, but once the trial is on there’s little to no room for bullshit antics.

  11. Fine him $1 million for every violation, payable *before* he’s allowed to leave the Court. If he can’t pay, he should get processed into jail the same way all the other criminals are, with a thorough cavity search for his Adderall stash.

  14. Aside from painting trump as just an overall trashy, classless person, what again is the relevance of the Access Hollywood tape to this trial?

  18. “Trump Reportedly Nods Off While Attending First Day of Criminal Trial”

    Sleepy Don

  20. Then do it already. He’s done it multiple times and gotten away with it.

  21. MSNBC is outright saying it, they don’t want to arrest Trump ever because it will be a “logistical nightmare”. So there you have it, they wont ever push back on Trump because some people would have to work hard for a few days, so he’s just allowed to break the law now.

  23. Any one of us would already have been held in contempt. I am so sick of this.

  24. You can tell it’s an AI generated image because the hands are way too big

  25. He’s doing that on purpose because if he gets thrown in jail for a couple days it’ll light half the country on fire. And that’s all he knows, I’d bet it’s actually a part of his strategy. Much like Jan 6, rile them up and see what happens cause that’s better than just losing. Basically intentionally causing chaos because he knows he can’t win. Unfortunately the by product of that is domestic terrorism and half the country pumped to the gills with hate and further deluded into believing his shit.

  26. And why can’t the Access Hollywood tape be played in the courtroom if it’s germaine to the trial, it was on television, for Chrissake.

  27. I’m liking Judge Merchan. Gag order was violated, prosecution called the defense on it today, and that’s getting heard Wednesday. Not some hypothetical time in the 2040s. I’m loving the motion for a contempt ruling in the first two hours of freakin’ jury selection, too. Then, the defense wanted more time to review evidence, Merchan gave them until tomorrow LOL.

    Merchan: If you do not show up for the trial, there will be an arrest. Do you understand?

    Defendant: Yes.

    Next on my wishlist is a courtroom artist that captures everyone sitting around Trump powering through the stench in oil pastels.

  29. There really is a different justice system for rich people. You average poor person would not be given as many chances to avoid jail time as Donald Trump has gotten.

  30. The judge will hear arguments on 4-23-24 now, unless delayed for some reason and $3k is chump change when you have endless money.

  31. Too bad this isn’t being televised. Sleepy Tired Old Loser can’t keep eyes open in his own case.

  32. so does everyone else, but we’re not holding our breath

  33. The title should be: “IF YOU DO NOT SHOW UP, THERE WILL BE AN ARREST”

    PS fuck paywalls

  35. These posts have to be very specific, since if we reference a criminal trial or a gag order, who knows which one we are talking about when talking about Trump.

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