The second week of testimony in former President Trump’s trial in New York began Tuesday — and it was busier than expected, covering everything from a gag order ruling to new details about Trump’s alleged affairs.
The former president faces 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records. If he is convicted, he could be jailed, although incarceration is unusual for a first-time offender.
The backstory of the case revolves around a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s then-attorney and mediator, Michael Cohen, to adult actress Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign.
The money was intended to buy Daniels’ silence about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump a decade earlier.
Trump denies having sex with Daniels or doing anything illegal in connection with the payment.
Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s proceedings.
Trump is found in contempt for gag order violations
Prosecutors complained that Trump repeatedly violated a gag order imposed on him by Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the case.
Trump’s lawyers responded that the former president was merely retaliating against things that had been said about him. They also argued that Trump’s reposts of other people’s messages basically shouldn’t count.
Merchan ruled against Trump on Tuesday morning, holding that 9 of the 10 posts violated the gag order and that Trump was therefore in contempt of court.
The former president was fined US$1,000 for each instance, for a total of US$9,000.
Merchan lamented that he could not impose heavier fines on someone of Trump’s alleged wealth, writing in his decision: “it would be preferable if the Court could impose a fine more commensurate with the contemporary’s wealth.”
Merchan also emphasized that Trump could face prison time if he continued his pattern of violations.
Trump’s presidential campaign cited the judge’s ruling in a fundraising email sent shortly afterward.
But offensive posts and statements covered by the ruling were also promptly deleted.
Lawyer’s statement reveals details of agreement with Karen McDougal
The payment to Daniels is at the center of the criminal charges.
But prosecutors are seeking to show that the Daniels episode was part of a broader pattern in which Trump and his allies sought to suppress embarrassing stories to bolster their hopes of winning the 2016 election.
On Tuesday, a deal struck between a Trump-friendly publisher, American Media Inc., and a former Playboy model, Karen McDougal, took center stage.
The details came in the testimony of Keith Davidson, the lawyer who represented McDougal and Daniels.
The jury heard about messages between Davidson and Dylan Howard. Howard was then editor of the supermarket tabloid National Enquirer, which was part of the American Media group of titles.
Davidson told Howard he could tell him a “Trump blockbuster story” — referring to McDougal’s claim that she had an affair with Trump about 10 years earlier.
Howard responded, “I’ll get you more than anyone for this. You know why” — a possible reference to the publisher’s affinity with Trump.
A deal was eventually reached with McDougal for $150,000 and the promise of coverage and ghostwritten columns in other America Media publications.
Trump wades into college controversy with comparisons between Charlottesville and January 6
Trump addressed the ongoing university protests over Israel’s conduct in Gaza when he spoke to the media before the proceedings began – and his comments were characteristically controversial.
Trump described the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 as “peanuts” compared to the uproar on campuses right now.
In August 2017, far-right protesters marched with torches in the Virginia city, and their chants included “Jews will not replace us!”
A 32-year-old counter-protester, Heather Heyer, was killed after being hit by a car driven by an admirer of Adolf Hitler.
On Tuesday, Trump also hinted that pro-Palestinian Columbia University students who occupied a university building would be treated more leniently than people arrested for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
“I wonder if what will happen to them will be comparable to what happened with the J6,” he said.
On January 6, 2021, approximately 140 law enforcement officers were assaulted by members of a pro-Trump mob attempting to overturn President Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.
Trump has previously referred to the people arrested for his actions on January 6 as “hostages.”
Trump May Attend His Youngest Son’s High School Graduation
One of the more peculiar controversies of the trial’s early days revolved around whether Trump could attend his youngest son Barron’s high school graduation. The former president is required to appear in court every day it sits unless granted an exception.
Merchan never said Trump could not attend Barron’s graduation, but reserved judgment to see how quickly the trial would proceed.
Trump and his allies attacked Merchan anyway. Trump complained on April 15, the first day of jury selection for the trial, that “it looks like the judge is not going to let me get away with this scam” for the ceremony.
Barron’s graduation is scheduled for May 17 in Florida. Merchan said Tuesday morning that the court should be able to take a break that day.
“I don’t think the May 17th date is an issue, so Mr. Trump will certainly be able to attend that date, his son’s graduation,” Merchan said.
Some texts mocked Trump because of money
Trump is notoriously sensitive to allegations that he exaggerates his wealth.
His image in this regard suffered a severe blow earlier this year when he and his associates were sentenced to a $355 million fine in a civil fraud trial. In that case, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and his business entities “presented blatantly false financial data” to obtain loans.
Trump is appealing the verdict.
There was nothing on that scale in Tuesday’s proceedings.
But Tuesday there was a text message exchange between Davidson and Howard that appeared to blame Trump’s frugality for delaying payment to Daniels.
Howard complained that the delay occurred because Trump was “strapped” with money. A later message added: “I think that Trump impersonator I hired has more money.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
