On Monday, a former top executive at the Trump Organization took the witness stand in Donald Trump’s criminal trial. The judge in charge of the former president’s case once again found Trump in criminal contempt and issued a stern warning that he could be locked up if he violates the rules, followed by another gag order.
“The last thing I want to do is put you in prison. You are a former president of the United States and perhaps the next president,” Judge Juan Machan warned President Trump, but added, “If necessary, I will,” he said.
In his written decision, Marchan noted that Trump was disparaging when he said in an interview that the jury was overwhelmingly made up of Democrats. The gag order prohibits President Trump from speaking to the jury.
The violation was the 10th time a judge has found President Trump in contempt, and the judge noted that the maximum fine that can be imposed appears to have no effect. “The $1,000 fine doesn’t seem to be working as a deterrent,” Machan said, leaving another option open.
The judge said: “There are many reasons why incarceration is truly a last resort for you. To take such a step would be to disrupt the process for court officials, the Secret Service, prosecutors and court staff.” He said: “But at the end of the day, I have a job to do.”
President Trump’s “continued willful violation of this court’s orders threatens the administration of justice and constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law. This cannot be allowed to continue,” Marchand wrote. said of Trump, who sat with his arms crossed as he spoke.
Former company manager stands up
After handing down the verdict, Marchan assembled the jury, and prosecutors called a 10th witness, former Trump Organization administrator Jeff McConney. Mr. McConney testified in response to his subpoena and said his attorney’s fees were paid by the company.
He began testifying about the company’s books and accounting practices, both of which are at issue in the case. President Trump is accused of falsifying business records by classifying money he paid back to his lawyer Michael Cohen for hush money to a porn star as legal expenses. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records, a low-level felony.
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in his opening statement that Mr. Trump, Mr. Cohen and Mr. Pecker conspired to influence the 2016 election and that Mr. Trump “lied over and over again on his business records in New York.” , and concealed the criminal conspiracy.”
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, said in his opening statement that the non-disclosure agreement was legal and there was nothing criminal about Trump’s payments to Cohen. Regarding the collusion allegations, Blanche said, “Spoiler alert, there’s nothing wrong with trying to influence elections. It’s called democracy.”
Trump’s previous violations of the gag order included comments about people involved in hush money payments, Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Last week, Marchan accused Trump of violating a gag order that prohibits him from making “public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses regarding his potential participation in an investigation or criminal proceeding.” He was found to have insulted Trump.
