”LOSING ALL CREDIBILITY”
Pecker’s testimony came after a hearing to consider prosecutors’ request to fine Trump US$10,000 for violating a gag order prohibiting him from criticizing witnesses, court officials and their relatives.
Justice Juan Merchan said he would not immediately rule on that request, but he appeared unmoved by Trump defence lawyer Todd Blanche’s arguments that Trump was responding to political attacks, not intimidating witnesses.
“You’ve presented nothing,” Merchan said. “I’ve asked you eight or nine times, show me the exact post he was responding to. You’ve not even been able to do that once.”
“I have to tell you right now, you’re losing all credibility with the court,” the judge added.
After the session, Trump repeated his claim that the gag order violated his constitutional free speech rights.
“This is a kangaroo court and the judge should recuse himself!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
New York prosecutor Christopher Conroy said Trump has run afoul of the order, pointing to an April 10 Truth Social post that called Daniels and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen “sleazebags”. Both are expected to testify in the first criminal trial of a former US president.
Conroy said other posts led to media coverage that prompted a juror last week to withdraw over privacy concerns.
“He knows what he’s not allowed to do and he does it anyway,” Conroy said of Trump. “His disobedience of the order is willful. It’s intentional.”
The US$10,000 fine sought by Conroy would be a relatively small penalty for Trump, who has posted US$266.6 million in bonds as he appeals civil judgments in two other cases.
Conroy said he was not at this point asking Merchan to send Trump to jail for up to 30 days, as New York law allows.
“The defendant seems to be angling for that,” Conroy said.
Blanche said Trump’s posts were responses to political attacks by Cohen and not related to his former lawyer’s expected testimony.
“He’s allowed to respond to political attacks,” Blanche said.
