A major focus of media attention is still the hush-money trial involving former President Trump in New York. Particularly after Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen testified, the courtroom atmosphere has become noticeably intense. On his Truth Social platform, Trump has voiced hope on the trial’s result. He says that he has benefited from the recent courtroom events and believes that the New York District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, will shortly drop the case. Trump said Bragg will drop the case “to save lots of money and also the self-respect of his once revered office.”
The judge in charge of former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in New York immediately imposed a gag order. Judge Merchan fined Trump $10,000 when he violated this gag order ten times during the trial, just a few weeks in. Judge Merchan gave a firm warning that more infractions could result in jail time, so Trump toned down his public criticism of the judge, the prosecutors, and their family members. The warning, obviously, impacted him hard. While Trump ceased further breaches of the gag order, he began to organize a strategy with his Republican allies.
Speaking what Trump cannot
Beginning around two weeks ago, a number of influential Republican Party members—including lawmakers and well-known conservatives—gather in New York for one day rallies in support of Trump. They take part in press conferences during their trips and attack the judge, the District Attorney’s Office, the prosecutors, and their families. Their comments reflect the opinions that Trump is not allowed to voice because of the gag order. Legal experts have recommended that Judge Merchan could initiate an investigation into whether Trump has been subtly breaking the gag order by giving these allies case-related information to publicly disclose.
Unintentionally exposing Trump’s plan
“That’s why we went up there, so that we could say the things that this corrupt judge is not allowing him to say,” Representative Bob Good said on Fox Business Friday morning. “This is a judge who seems to get all the high-profile conservative trials up there, and his own daughter is raising tens of millions of dollars for the Democrat party off this very trial.”
GOP Rep. Bob Good admits on Fox Business that Republicans are helping Trump violate his gag order: "That's why we went up there — so we could say the things that this corrupt judge is not allowing him to say."
Good then attacks the judge's daughter. pic.twitter.com/f1VVSoHQ9q
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 17, 2024
If Good made those remarks at Trump’s request, it would breach the gag order that forbids the former president from criticizing Judge Juan Merchan, the court staff, the prosecution, jurors, witnesses, and their families. This order also covers any comments made through others on Trump’s behalf. Judge Merchan has frequently cautioned that Trump is on the brink of incarceration due to numerous breaches of this gag order. The comments by Good have only moved Trump closer to the possibility of jail time.
Rallying behind Trump
Recently, several notable Republicans, including the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, traveled to Manhattan to back Trump. During their visit, they collectively criticized Judge Merchan and targeted his daughter. Good’s statements were similar to those made by his colleague in Congress, Representative Matt Gaetz, who addressed the public outside the courthouse in New York last Thursday.
“We are here of our own violation because there are things we can say that President Trump is unjustly not allowed to say,” Gaetz said, flanked by other Republican congress people. His words would be overshadowed by mockery from local New Yorkers.
Trump faces charges related to paying off Daniels to keep their affair secret before the 2016 election, a plan allegedly facilitated by his former lawyer, Cohen. He is accused of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to further a crime, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Trump contends that the gag order limits his ability to defend himself against crucial witnesses such as Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. He made an unsuccessful attempt to have the order overturned by a New York appeals court. Despite the failure to lift the order, Trump continued to publicly criticize the lead prosecutor, Matthew Colangelo, outside the courtroom last Thursday, which could potentially lead to jail time.
