A break from the hush money trial of former President Donald Trump did not translate into a break from Trump’s critique of the proceedings.
Trump took to his media platform — Truth Social — to voice his opinion on what was happening in his trial.
“It is a really bad feeling to have your Constitutional Right to Free Speech, such a big part of life in our Country, so unfairly taken from you, especially when all of the sleazebags, lowlifes, and grifters that you oppose are allowed to say absolutely anything that they want,” Trump wrote early Wednesday.
“It is hard to sit back and listen to lies and false statements be made against you knowing that if you respond, even in the most modest fashion, you are told by a Corrupt and Highly Conflicted Judge that you will be PUT IN PRISON, maybe for a long period of time,” he added.
It is a really bad feeling to have your Constitutional Right to Free Speech, such a big part of life in our Country, so unfairly taken from you, especially when all of the sleazebags, lowlifes, and grifters that you oppose are allowed to say absolutely anything that they want. It… pic.twitter.com/ZvR1lNwUM9
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) May 8, 2024
Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the trial, has fined Trump a total of $10,000 after finding him contempt of court for violating a gag order twice. He also threatened Trump with jail time if he continues to violate the order, as the Independent Journal Review previously reported.
“It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent. Therefore, going forward, this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” Merchan said, adding Trump’s statements “threaten to interfere with the fair administration of justice and constitute a direct attack on the rule of law. I cannot allow that to continue.”
The gag order, issued in March, prohibits Trump from making public statements about witnesses and jurors as well as others connected to the trial, per Newsweek.
Trump also asserted that this was part of a plot to thwart his return to the White House.
“This Fascist mindset is all coming from D.C. It is a sophisticated hit job on Crooked Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME!” Trump said.
He also called the other judges who oversaw his civil fraud and defamation trials “corrupt.”
“What these THUGS are doing is AN ATTACK ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND OUR ONCE GREAT NATION ITSELF,” Trump said. “OUR FIRST AMENDMENT MUST STAND, FREE AND STRONG. ‘GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH!'”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that the New York City Department of Corrections is prepared should Trump be incarcerated, according to the HuffPost.
“They’re professionals,” Adams said. “They’ll be ready.”
Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a payment by Michael Cohen to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies the sexual encounter took place, per Newsweek.
