Politics

Trump fined again, $10,000 for violating judge’s gag order

New York, United States, Oct 25 (EFE). – Former US President Donald Trump (2017- 2021) was fined again on Wednesday, this time $10,000, in the ongoing fraud trial in New York after being called to the witness stand by the judge who reprimanded him for again violating a “gag order” that prohibits him from talking about court personnel.

The judge, Arthur Engoron, imposed the order on Trump on Oct. 2 after he published a personal attack on the judge’s law clerk, Allison Greenfield, on his social networks.

On Friday, the former president was already fined $5,000 because the message remained visible on his campaign website due to an alleged oversight.

During Wednesday’s session, in which Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen is testifying as a witness, the judge called the former president to a hearing, so he would be obliged to speak under oath, and asked him about some statements he had made in the corridors.

“Did you say, ‘This judge is a very partisan judge with a very partisan person sitting next to him?” the judge asked, to which the former president responded in the affirmative.

Trump then clarified that he was referring to Cohen, which did not seem to convince Engoron despite his insistence, according to media present in the room.

Engoron noted that Trump was referring to the lawyer again because there was a “barrier” between her seat and the witness chair occupied by Cohen, and that Trump would have also called Cohen out by name.

After a brief exchange, Trump also acknowledged that his social media post was “maybe unfair,” but added that he thought “she was very unfair,” referring to Greenfield.

“The witness is not credible,” said the judge, who proceeded to fine Trump $ 10,000 to be paid in 30 days.

Engoron told him, after excusing him, that he would not change his mind and warned him not to do it again or the penalty would be harsher.

Last week, the judge threatened Trump with jail time if he again violated the order, which prevents him from commenting on court personnel in general.

The fraud trial against Trump, his two eldest children, his company and two of his associates, in which six counts of illegality are being tried, will last until mid-December. EFE

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