Trump on Trial: Week 2

“This is getting very hostile...”

Today wrapped the second week of the state’s presentation of evidence in The People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump. Last week, the State introduced the alleged “criminal scheme” which it argues served as the basis for the purportedly falsifying documents: the purchase of the story from Stormy Daniels soon before the 2016 election.

This week continued that trend. But before testimony resumed, Judge Juan Merchan held Trump in contempt for violating a Court order which prohibited Trump from making extrajudicial statements against family members of the Court, the District Attorney, and various witnesses in the case. Trump was fined a total of $9,000 dollars, required to remove the offending posts from Truth Social, and prohibited Trump from making public statements about witnesses, the Court and the District Attorney (and their family members and staff), and from making any public statement about the jurors.

In his order, Judge Merchan threatened incarceration for further violations:

“Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment”.

And now to the witnesses…