TL/DR –
Donald Trump was fined $10,000 for violating a gag order barring him from disparaging court staff during his civil fraud trial. This is the second time Trump has violated the gag order, which was imposed after he falsely claimed on social media that the judge’s top clerk was the girlfriend of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The civil trial concerns allegations that Trump and his family business, the Trump Organization, unlawfully manipulated asset values and his net worth to deceive lenders and insurers.
Trump Fined for Gag Order Violation in Civil Fraud Trial
On Oct 25, Donald Trump was fined $10,000, having violated a gag order for the second time during his ongoing civil fraud trial in New York. Trump was accused of disparaging court staff, which the presiding judge, Justice Arthur Engoron, had imposed a gag order against.
Earlier this month, Trump had shared a photo on social media of the judge’s top clerk with U.S. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, falsely claiming she was Schumer’s “girlfriend”. This led to the implementation of the gag order.
During a break in the lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, concerning Trump’s business practices, Trump told reporters about a “very partisan judge” with an even more partisan associate. Engoron concluded that this was a reference to his clerk, and a clear violation of the gag order.
Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, testified against him for a second day. Before the fine, Trump claimed he referred to “you and Cohen” during his comments. This was rejected by the judge, who warned of harsher penalties for future transgressions.
Engoron’s clerk has been present throughout the trial, which is standard practice in a New York state court. Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, alleged inappropriate behavior by the clerk during Cohen’s testimony.
Further disputes have arisen as Trump continues campaigning for the Republican nomination for the 2024 U.S. election.
Cohen Defends Credibility
The civil trial focuses on allegations that Trump and his business empire, the Trump Organization, manipulated asset values and his net worth to defraud lenders and insurers. Cohen testified that Trump inflated the value of his real estate assets to secure favorable insurance premiums.
Despite tense cross-examination by Habba, Cohen defended his credibility and denied the allegations that he had profited from attacking Trump. Cohen was also accused of making outrageous claims about Trump for personal gain.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case and has pleaded not guilty in four criminal cases this year. Despite the testimony from Cohen potentially bolstering the case for the attorney general’s team, his own record of deceit could undermine his credibility before Engoron, who will decide the outcome of the bench trial.
The trial primarily concerns damages. Attorney General James seeks at least $250 million in fines, a permanent ban against Trump and his sons from running businesses in New York, and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization.
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