Trump Trial: Hearing on Gag Order Violation; David Pekar resumed testimony

Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is on trial in a state court in Manhattan, New York City, US, as he faces felony charges of falsifying business records to conceal a 2016 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. , April 23, 2024.

Brendan McDermid

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Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday with testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Packer, the first witness.

But before Pecker returns to court, prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers will argue whether the former president is in contempt of court for allegedly violating the gag order ten times in online posts.

Seven positions were made during the jury selection process last week. Articles most cited or linked to include former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, the star witness at the Manhattan Supreme Court trial.

One of Trump’s posts was in response to claims by Fox News host Jesse Waters that “undercover liberal activists” “lied to jurors to get Trump on a jury.”

A state prosecutor wrote in a court filing Thursday that the posts “undoubtedly relate to known witnesses and potential jurors in this criminal trial” and violated Trump’s gag order.

Prosecutors want Judge Juan Melchan to find Trump in contempt of court. If that happens, the businessman could technically face a small fine punishable by up to 30 days in county jail, though Trump is unlikely to face jail time for the post.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at Manhattan State Court in New York City, U.S., on April 23. He is accused of falsifying business records to hide payments he made to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016. Criminal proceedings are ongoing 2024.

Brendan McDermid

On Monday, jurors heard opening arguments from prosecutors who accuse Trump of leading a criminal hush-money scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election. The defense also gave its opening statement denying that Trump had committed any crimes.

“This was pure election fraud,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the jury.

Defense attorney Todd Branch countered: “I have a spoiler alert: There is nothing wrong with trying to influence an election. It’s called democracy.”

Trump is accused of falsifying business records to pay back Cohen with discretion. In late 2016, Cohen paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged sexual tryst with Trump years earlier.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Trump of running a hush-money scheme to influence the 2016 election, which he ultimately won.