weatheriscool wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 3:07 pm
Trump found in contempt for violating gag order in hush money
The judge in Trump’s N.Y. hush money trial Tuesday found the former president in contempt for his critical public statements as proceedings entered their third week.
“The court finds the people have met their burden of proof and have demonstrated contempt. Mr. Trump is fined $1,000 on each of those two,” Justice Juan Merchan said in his written decision, referring to one set of alleged gag order violations.
(Mother Jones) Merchan, in his ruling, acknowledged that Tuesday’s contempt fine might not be large enough to deter Trump from future violations, but he noted that it was the maximum amount allowed by law.
“While $1,000 may suffice in most instances to protect the dignity of the judicial system, to compel respect for its mandates and to punish the offender for disobeying a court order, it unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the contemnor can easily afford such a fine,” Merchan wrote, adding that if it was up to him, he could image a fine of as much as $150,000 being more appropriate.
But, Merchan wrote, since he can’t level that kind of fine, he may have to contemplate something more serious that money.
“Because this Court is not cloaked with such discretion, it must therefore consider whether in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment,” Merchan wrote.
Merchan will hold a hearing on Thursday to consider three additional possible violations of the gag order. To fully abide by Merchan’s order today, Trump must delete seven posts from Truth Social and two posts from his campaign website by 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday. He must also pay the $9,000 fine by Friday.
Global economy doubles in product every 15-20 years. Computer performance at a constant price doubles nowadays every 4 years on average. Livestock-as-food will globally stop being a thing by ~2050 (precision fermentation and more). Human stupidity, pride and depravity are the biggest problems of our world.
Trump won't rule out election violence if he loses to Biden in November: 'It depends'
Source: Business Insider
Apr 30, 2024, 11:18 AM EDT
Former President Donald Trump said in a new interview that he's not ruling out the possibility of election-related violence if he loses to President Joe Biden in November.
Time released a lengthy interview with the former president on Tuesday conducted mostly on April 12 at his Mar-a-Lago Club. The conversation focused on his ambitions if he won a second term, such as mass deportations, getting rid of "bad people" in government, and how he might fire his attorney general if the chief law-enforcement officer refused to prosecute someone at his command.
When first pressed about the prospect of "political violence" over the upcoming presidential election, Trump said he didn't think it would play out. "I think we're going to have a big victory," he said. "And I think there will be no violence."
Two weeks later, Trump spoke with the Time reporter for a follow-up, and the reporter asked specifically if violence might erupt if he didn't defeat Biden. "I think we're going to win," he said. "And if we don't win, you know, it depends. It always depends on the fairness of an election."
Trump faces prospect of additional sanctions in hush money trial as key witness resumes testimony
Source: ABC News/AP
May 2, 2024, 12:03 AM
NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump faces the prospect of additional sanctions in his hush money trial as he returns to court Thursday for another contempt hearing followed by testimony from a lawyer who represented two women who have said they had sexual encounters with the former president.
The testimony from attorney Keith Davidson is seen as a vital building block for the prosecution's case that Trump and his allies schemed to bury unflattering stories in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. He is one of multiple key players expected to be called to the stand in advance of prosecutors' star witness, Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer.
Prosecutors are seeking $1,000 fines for each of four comments by Trump that they say violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses, jurors and others closely connected to the case. Such a penalty would be on top of a $9,000 fine that Judge Juan M. Merchan imposed on Tuesday related to nine separate gag order violations that he found.
It was not immediately clear when Merchan might rule on the request for fresh sanctions, but the prospect of further punishment underscores the challenges Trump the presidential candidate is facing in adjusting to the role of criminal defendant subject to rigid courtroom protocol that he does not control. It also remains to be seen whether any rebuke from the court will lead Trump to adjust his behavior given the campaign trail benefit he believes he derives from painting the case as politically motivated.
Mar-a-Lago judge sets new hearing over 'grand jury matters' and materials in ongoing sealing and redaction battles
Source: Law & Crime
May 1st, 2024, 6:15 pm
The judge overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents case has scheduled a hearing and status conference over several issues related to recent, sealed government filings as well as two long-sealed defense filings.
In a paperless order released late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon set aside 90 minutes at 2 p.m. on May 8, exactly one week from today, “to discuss grand jury matters.”
“To the extent any non-parties to this proceeding have not yet had an opportunity to appear and be heard on the disclosure petition now transferred to this Court, the parties shall come prepared to discuss any additional procedures required,” the order reads.
Notably, the defense is not required to take part in the hearing.
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Global economy doubles in product every 15-20 years. Computer performance at a constant price doubles nowadays every 4 years on average. Livestock-as-food will globally stop being a thing by ~2050 (precision fermentation and more). Human stupidity, pride and depravity are the biggest problems of our world.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP
Updated 8 minutes ago
NEW YORK (AP) — An attorney for Stormy Daniels says the porn actor is expected to appear as a witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday.
Clark Brewster tells The Associated Press that Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is “likely” to be called as a witness in the trial on Tuesday.
Trump said earlier Tuesday that he was “recently told” who the witness would be on Tuesday and complained he should’ve been given more notice.
In the final weeks of Trump's 2016 Republican presidential campaign, his then-lawyer and personal fixer, Michael Cohen, paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about what she says was an awkward and unexpected sexual encounter with Trump at a celebrity golf outing in Lake Tahoe in July 2006. Trump denies having sex with Daniels.
