Trump Held in Contempt for 10th Time
Donald Trump continues to demonstrate that he is an unhinged, unstable, undisciplined bully incapable of following the law or court orders, as he has been found in contempt of court for the third time by two separate judges.
Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump guilty of violating his gag order repeatedly in his New York civil fraud trial and issued a fine. Judge Merchan attempted to avoid imposing one in his criminal trial, but Trump constantly attacked the Judge's daughter, prosecutors and their families, and the jury pool. So an order was finally issued. Then Trump was found guilty of violating that on 9 separate occasions. The latest round of contempt allegations were committed right after Trump left the courtroom after the hearing on his last violations.
The Manhattan DA again only requested a fine in lieu of jail time since these violations occurred prior to Merchan issuing his order after the first set of contempts warning that future violations may result in jail time.
Judge Merchan said that, "Going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction. It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent. I am concerned about the ramifications of putting you in jail. But I have a job to do, to compel respect for the dignity of the court. Your behavior constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law. If I need to, I will."
The Judge only found Trump guilty of one of the four violations this time. The two attacks against Cohen were negated by Cohen's comments about Trump, including calling him "Vonshitzenpants." The judge also ruled that Trump's post praising David Pecker was harmless. He was found guilty of the comment claiming that the jury was rigged because it was "95% Democrats."
