donald trump He returned to the New York court this Tuesday, where he faces a possible sanction for contempt due to his attacks against witnesses and jurors, in the historic criminal trial for alleged covert payments to buy the silence of a former porn actress.
“Outside these doors, in a corral installed from which he has given daily press conferences (…) the accused once again violated the order in front of the cameras”said prosecuting attorney Chris Conroy.
The tycoon is accused of violating the orders of the investigating judge Juan Merchan which prohibits him from speaking about witnesses and jurors.
trump is being tried for falsifying 34 accounting documents of the family business, the Trump Organization, to hide the payment of $130,000 to the former porn star Stormy Daniels in the final stretch of the 2016 presidential campaign.
“The defendant is knowingly and willfully failing to comply with the crystal clear lines“established in the order of April 1”to protect the integrity of this procedure“said the lawyer who reported 10 publications, 10 on his Truth Social platform and two on the website.
Although the law contemplates a sentence of up to 30 days in jail for contempt, the lawyer asked the court “a fine of up to US$1,000 for each publication” on their platform Social Truth or your campaign website that contravenes the court order.
“There is no doubt that President Trump faces a barrage of political attacks from all sides including the two witnesses”justified his lawyer Todd Blanche, who said he did not believe that “publish an article“by some means”a violation of the gag order”.
But the judge complained to the defense that they had not presented any evidence and snapped: “You are losing all your credibility with this court”.
The judge reserved his decision for the moment.
“Criminal plan”
The Manhattan prosecutor’s office accuses the magnate of having “orchestrated a criminal plan” to adulterate the 2016 elections, in which he won against Hillary Clinton, and to have “lied in accounting documents” for “disguise” that plan.
The money was used to buy the silence of Daniels, who claims to have had a sexual relationship with the billionaire in 2006 when he was already married to Melania Trump, which the Republican denies.
If found guilty, the Republican presidential candidate for the November elections and the first former president to sit in the criminal justice dock faces a four-year prison sentence or a fine.
On the first day of the trial, April 15, the prosecution asked the judge to sanction the Republican with a fine of US$3,000 for the virulent disqualifications against Daniels and against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, and current sworn enemy, who will be a key witness. of the accusation.
The Republican candidate called Cohen “serial liar”. He also endorsed the statements of Jesse Watters, host of the conservative television network Fox News, who assured without evidence that they were selecting “infiltrated progressive activists who lie to the judge” for the jury that will hand down the sentence.
The day after this publication, a jury candidate gave up for fear of being recognized.
To avoid intimidation and harassment, the judge has decreed the anonymity of the 12 members of the jury and the six alternates, who respond simply by a number.
The judge has prohibited Trump from attacking jurors, witnesses, court staff and prosecutors, with the exception of himself and Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg.
trump He considers these bans to be an attack on his freedom to campaign, and calls them unfair because Cohen has no qualms about criticizing him.
“If this partisan lackey wants to put me in jail for telling the open and obvious TRUTH, I will gladly become a modern-day Nelson Mandela. It will be my GREAT HONOR“Trump had challenged.
The oral trial continues this Tuesday with the interrogation of the prosecution’s first witness David Pecker, former president of the publishing company of the National Enquirer tabloid, an old friend of Trump and now an enemy, who bought, to bury them, stories that could affect the magnate during the 2016 election campaign.
Source: Gestion
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
