New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan on Tuesday could fine and send former President Donald Trump to jail for up to 30 days for allegedly violating his gag order.
It would be a “GREAT HONOR” to become a “modern-day Nelson Mandela” in the “clink” for speaking the truth about Merchan, Trump said in April.
Merchan will hold a hearing on Tuesday to determine whether Trump allegedly violated the “unconstitutional” gag order, as Trump described it.
Trump could be fined and put in jail if Merchan rules in favor of the prosecution, according to Reuters:
Merchan could opt to fine Trump $1,000 for each of those violations, as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has requested.…
The law permits the judge to send Trump to jail for up to 30 days, in what would be a dramatic twist to the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Trump says the partial gag order, which prevents him from publicly criticizing witnesses, court officials and their relatives, is a violation of free speech.
“The gag order has to come off,” Trump told reporters last week. “People are allowed to speak about me, and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is.”
“They’ve taken away my constitutional rights to speak,” he said.
“They can say anything they want,” Trump said about his political foes. “They can continue to make up lies and everything else. They lie. They’re real scum. But you know what, I’m not allowed to speak.”
“So why am I gagged about telling the truth?” Trump questioned. “I’m only telling the truth. They’re not telling the truth. The judge has to take off this gag order. It’s very, very unfair that my constitutional rights have been taken away.”
