This is a developing story…
On Tuesday morning, President Trump appeared in court for Alvin Bragg’s lawfare case against him in New York City.
Last week, prosecutors filed a motion accusing President Trump of contempt for allegedly breaching Judge Merchan’s unconstitutional gag order, which prohibited Trump from criticizing the judge’s family members.
Judge Merchan held a hearing on Tuesday regarding Bragg’s plea to hold Trump in contempt and impose fines for violating the gag order. The judge stated he would postpone ruling on whether Trump breached the order, with the timing of his decision remaining uncertain.
According to AP, President Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, informed the court that Trump “is being very careful to comply” with the gag order.
Judge Merchan, whose daughter stands to gain tens of millions of dollars from his case against Trump, strongly criticized Todd Blanche, stating, “You’re losing all credibility.”
Trump slammed Judge Merchan in a Truth Social post during a recess on Tuesday.
HIGHLY CONFLICTED, TO PUT IT MILDLY, JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN, HAS TAKEN AWAY MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. EVERYBODY IS ALLOWED TO TALK AND LIE ABOUT ME, BUT I AM NOT ALLOWED TO DEFEND MYSELF. THIS IS A KANGAROO COURT, AND THE JUDGE SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF!
Last Thursday, prosecutors from Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s office alleged that Trump violated the court’s gag order “seven more times.”
On the prior Monday, Bragg’s office asked the court to levy a $1,000 penalty for each of the three previous Truth Social posts, instruct Trump to remove them, and caution him that further violations could land him in jail.
The DA’s office cited a New York Post article criticizing Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer” as one of the instances related to Trump’s alleged violations.
On Thursday, prosecutors accused President Trump of violating the gag order seven additional times since Monday for quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters.
Trump’s post on Truth Social from last Wednesday read:
“They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury,” Jesse Watters
