Judge Juan Merchan is considering sanctioning Donald Trump for violating the gag order in his criminal hush money case. The former president’s lawyers were questioned about why Trump’s social media posts were allowed. The day began with a hearing on Trump’s alleged violations of the gag order and ended with testimony about “catch-and-kill” deals to bury negative stories about Trump during the 2016 election. David Pecker, former chief of American Media Inc., discussed how he vetted allegations of an affair between Trump and Playboy playmate Karen McDougal in 2016 while in communication with Michael Cohen.
Merchan issued the gag order before the trial began, preventing Trump from discussing witnesses and the district attorney’s staff. He expanded the order to cover Trump’s family after Trump attacked his daughter. The judge has not yet ruled on the district attorney’s motion to sanction Trump for violating the gag order but expressed frustration at the explanations offered by Trump’s attorney. The attorney argued that posts about Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen were political, not related to the case. Merchan pressed on Trump’s intentions, questioning the attorney about whether Trump believed he was violating the gag order with his reposts.
Tensions continued to rise during the gag order hearing between Trump’s legal team and the trial judge. Merchan repeatedly asked for clarification on specific instances where Trump was responding to attacks on social media and grew frustrated when the attorney failed to provide examples. Last week, Merchan supported prosecutors who refused to give notice of their witness list to Trump’s legal team due to the former president’s social media attacks. Pecker, who ran American Media Inc. during the 2016 election, testified about the “catch-and-kill” deals involving McDougal and Trump’s doorman, revealing his role in publishing positive stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents.
Pecker’s testimony detailed his involvement with Cohen and Trump in managing negative stories during the 2016 election. He recalled a meeting in 2015 where Trump and Cohen asked for assistance in handling negative stories. Pecker agreed to publish positive stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents, serving as the “eyes and ears” of the campaign. Merchan expressed frustration with Trump’s attorney during the hearing, demanding more clarity on Trump’s intentions behind his social media posts. The judge has not yet issued a ruling on the motion to sanction Trump for the gag order violations.
The district attorney is seeking a fine of $1,000 for each violation and a warning about potential imprisonment for further infractions. The testimony and evidence presented in court shed light on the relationships and tactics used by Trump and his associates during the 2016 election. Merchan’s interactions with Trump’s legal team showcased the challenges of enforcing the gag order and maintaining control over the proceedings. The trial continues to unfold, with Pecker set to return to the stand for further testimony on the catch-and-kill deals involving Trump.
