Staff Reports
President Donald Trump was slapped with a $5,000 fine by Judge Arthur Engoron of the New York State Supreme Court for breaking his gag order. Engoron warned Trump that further violations could result in even harsher punishments, such as heavier fines, holding him in contempt of court, or even putting him behind bars. Engoron did acknowledge that Trump’s violation was accidental, as it was discovered that Trump forgot to remove a social media post criticizing Engoron’s main court clerk.
Judge Slaps Trump with Fine for Violating ‘Gag Order,’ Threatens Imprisonment of Former President https://t.co/TyTgxHDSIn
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 21, 2023
Trump had lambasted the judge’s clerk after she had taken a picture with Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer. The post stated, “How disgraceful! This case should be dismissed immediately!” and referred to the clerk as “Schumer’s girlfriend.” Engoron issued the gag order because he believed the accusations made against his clerk were false and derogatory.
Judge overseeing Trump civil case in NYC:
“Juries get it wrong a lot…I have a tool – I can deal with that…I can say that there is no possible way that a reasonable jury would have reached that conclusion.” pic.twitter.com/iehPtIrcsF
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) October 3, 2023
While Trump eventually took down the post from his Truth Social platform, it was discovered that the post remained on his campaign website until the court forced him to remove it. Engoron expressed his disappointment towards this violation, emphasizing that spreading false information can lead to serious physical harm.
Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise, offered an apology for the oversight, claiming that it was a genuine mistake and that they promptly removed the post from Truth Social when requested. However, the post remained on the campaign website, which Kise acknowledged was an unfortunate oversight.
This incident comes after Engoron recently ruled that Trump had committed fraud by inflating his net worth to secure favorable financial deals, although the ruling only pertained to one of seven charges brought forth by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The judge’s comments about potentially overturning jury verdicts in a video from last September have also resurfaced, further questioning his impartiality. These recent developments highlight the ongoing legal battles surrounding Trump and his business practices.
