By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/prosecutors-ask-judge-to-fine-trump-3000-over-social-media-posts-calling-out-witnesses Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Prosecutors ask judge to fine Trump $3,000 over social media posts calling out witnesses Politics Apr 15, 2024 1:34 PM EDT Prosecutors have asked Judge Juan M. Merchan to fine Donald Trump $3,000 over three social media posts they say violated a gag order that bars Trump from commenting on witnesses. The gag order, imposed March 26, bars the ex-president from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors. It was later expanded to bar him from talking publicly about relatives of the judge and of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, though Trump is free to speak about the officials themselves. Trump’s attorneys are fighting the order in an appeals court. READ MORE: 3 key things to watch in Trump’s first criminal trial Last week, Trump used his Truth Social platform to call two important witnesses — his former lawyer Michael Cohen and the adult film actor Stormy Daniels — “two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Email Address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Prosecutors also called for Trump to be ordered to take down the “offending” posts. “The defendant has demonstrated his willingness to flout the order. He’s attacked witnesses in the case,” said Christopher Conroy, one of the trial prosecutors. One of Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche, maintained that the three posts in question don’t violate the gag order. He said Trump was just responding to the witnesses’ own public statements. By — Associated Press Associated Press
Prosecutors have asked Judge Juan M. Merchan to fine Donald Trump $3,000 over three social media posts they say violated a gag order that bars Trump from commenting on witnesses. The gag order, imposed March 26, bars the ex-president from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors. It was later expanded to bar him from talking publicly about relatives of the judge and of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, though Trump is free to speak about the officials themselves. Trump’s attorneys are fighting the order in an appeals court. READ MORE: 3 key things to watch in Trump’s first criminal trial Last week, Trump used his Truth Social platform to call two important witnesses — his former lawyer Michael Cohen and the adult film actor Stormy Daniels — “two sleaze bags who have, with their lies and misrepresentations, cost our Country dearly!” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Email Address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. Prosecutors also called for Trump to be ordered to take down the “offending” posts. “The defendant has demonstrated his willingness to flout the order. He’s attacked witnesses in the case,” said Christopher Conroy, one of the trial prosecutors. One of Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche, maintained that the three posts in question don’t violate the gag order. He said Trump was just responding to the witnesses’ own public statements.