Donald Trump fined $10,000 for violating gag order again
Trump is on trial in New York for fraudulent valuations of assets. The former president was slapped with a 2nd fine for violating the gag order imposed.
Wednesday afternoon, October 25, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge issued a $10,000 fine for former President Donald Trump for violating the gag order imposed in his civil fraud trial. This is the second fine the defendant has received and double the first. Judge Arthur Engoron has warned Trump and his attorneys that “this Court is way beyond the ‘warning’ stage” and that “future violations, whether intentional or unintentional, will subject the violator to far more severe sanctions” including imprisonment.
Currently, the former White House resident is facing a civil trial for corporate fraud in New York City which is seeking a $250 million dollar fine. As the trial got underway, Judge Engoron issued a gag order for the former president after Trump posted a photo on Truth Social of one of his court clerks with an accusation that was deemed “disparaging, untrue and personally identifying.” Through this, the former president is prohibited from attacking the court staff, even via social networks.
Why was Donald Trump fined $10,000?
Donald Trump violated the gag order, for the second time, after accusing Engoron of being a “partisan” judge. “This judge is a very partisan judge with a person very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even much more partisan than he is,” said the Republican presidential party frontrunner.
After that, the jury called Donald Trump to the stand to question him directly about his statements. The former president responded that these were addressed to Judge Engoron and Michael Cohen, and not to his clerk, as had been suggested. Furthermore, he assured that at no time had he violated the gag order.
However, Trump added: “I think she’s very biased against us. I think we’ve made that clear.”
Judge Engorgon struck down Trump’s statements as “not credible,” resulting in a new fine of $10,000. In addition to the punishment, Trump also received a warning from the judge: “Don’t do it again or it will be worse.”
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Trump's trial in New York
Donald Trump’s civil trial in New York is the result of an investigation by Attorney General Letitia James, who accuses the former president, as well as his two adult sons and the Trump Organization, of inflating the value of properties and assets by as much as $2 billion to obtain tax benefits and a better interest rates when applying for credit. The judge in the case has already ruled that the AG has presented sufficient evidence to warrant that fraud accusations.