Thin ice
Trump complains about “corrupt” judge
May 2, 2024, 2:06 a.m
He can’t help it: Just one day after the court in the hush money trial fined Donald Trump for insulting those involved in the trial, the Republican continues to publicly complain. This time he is dishing it out against the judge.
Former US President Donald Trump has called the judge in his New York hush money trial “corrupt” – a day after he was fined $9,000 for contempt of court for repeatedly violating a confidentiality agreement.
“There is no crime. I have a corrupt judge, a judge with a total conflict of interest,” the Republican presidential candidate-elect told supporters at an event in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He again claimed that this and other proceedings against him were initiated by the White House with the aim of preventing his re-election as president.
As part of a so-called “partial gag order,” Trump has been banned by the court from publicly commenting on witnesses, jurors and other participants in the hush money trial. He can continue to criticize Judge Juan Merchan. The latest statements are still explosive because Merchan had previously made it clear that he would impose a prison sentence if Trump continued to violate his confidentiality agreement. Further slip-ups could have serious consequences.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office accuses Trump and his associates of participating in an illegal scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election campaign. They suppressed negative reports about candidate Trump by paying hush money to a porn actress and falsified business documents to do so. Trump has pleaded not guilty.