New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan will hold a hearing on Tuesday to determine whether former President Donald Trump violated a court-imposed gag order. If Trump is found to have violated the order, he could face fines of up to $1,000 for each violation and potential jail time of up to 30 days.
The gag order was put in place to prevent Trump from making public comments about witnesses, court officials, and their relatives in connection with the ongoing criminal case against him, which involves allegations of election interference and a legal retainer paid to Michael Cohen.
Trump has repeatedly criticized the gag order as unconstitutional and a violation of his free speech rights. He has argued that he should be allowed to speak out about the case to defend himself against the charges.
Prosecutors have requested that Trump be fined $1,000 for each violation of the gag order. However, the judge has discretion to impose a range of penalties, including jail time.
If Merchan rules in favor of the prosecution, it would be a dramatic twist in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Only about one-third of American adults believe Trump did anything illegal regarding the case, according to an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
The case is New York v. Trump, No. 71543-23, in the New York Supreme Court for New York County.
