‘Losing all credibility’: Donald Trump lawyer’s judge in hush money trial – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s criminal hush-money trial on Tuesday warned Trump’s lawyers that he is “losing all credibility” as they consider whether the former president will violate a ban on his public criticism of witnesses and others facing consequences under a gag order. . Other persons involved.
Prosecutors urged Judge Juan Marchan to fine Trump $10,000 for violating the order. However, defense attorney Todd Branch argued that Trump’s response was a political attack. McCann deferred a decision at the prosecutor’s request.
During the hearing, Merchant appeared frustrated when Branch failed to provide specifics about the attack that prompted Trump’s response. The judge criticized Branch for a lack of case law or evidence to support his argument.
“You brought nothing,” Mocha scolded. “I told you eight or nine times to please tell me the exact post he was replying to. You never did that.”
“Mr Branch, you are losing all credibility. I have to tell you now, you are losing all credibility with the court,” Marchian added.
The judge’s gag order prohibits Trump from publicly defaming witnesses, court officials and their relatives. Trump argued that this violated his constitutional right to free speech.
New York prosecutor Christopher Conroy accused Trump of violating the order through posts on his Truth social platform.
“The defendant has repeatedly violated this order and has not stopped,” Conroy insisted, adding that “the court should now find him in contempt of court.”
Conroy cited an April 10 post by Trump in which he mentioned porn stars Stormy Daniels and his former lawyer Michael Cohen Both men are expected to testify at trial. He also pointed to other posts that led to media coverage, prompting the judges to recuse themselves last week over privacy concerns.
“He knew what he wasn’t allowed to do, but he did it,” Conroy said of Trump’s actions, insisting “his disobedience was intentional.”
The $10,000 fine sought by Conroy would be a relatively small one for Trump, who has posted a $266.6 million bond while he appeals civil judgments in two other cases.
Conroy made it clear that he does not want Trump jailed for 30 days under current New York state law.
“The defendant seems to be asking for it,” Conroy said.
Branch argued that Trump’s posts were in response to Cohen’s political attacks and had nothing to do with his former lawyer’s expected testimony.
“He was allowed to respond to political attacks,” argued Branch.
Facing Trump Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg He falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment he made to the 2016 US election to silence Daniels about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006, which Trump has denied.
The trial could affect Trump’s candidacy in a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden on Nov. 5 and could be the first of four criminal charges he faces to go to trial before the election. A guilty verdict would not disqualify Trump, but it could hurt his candidacy.

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