On the eve of Tuesday’s contempt hearing in New York regarding whether Donald Trump repeatedly violated the gag order in his criminal trial, the indicted former president appeared to do so yet again, criticizing the jury as being from “a purely Democrat area” and lamenting that it’s a “very unfair situation” for him.
Trump began by taking aim at Judge Juan Merchan, echoing comments he made last week. “This judge, who is a totally conflicted person, by the way—he should not be the judge of this case. He’s so conflicted, nobody’s ever been as conflicted as him, just about, but this judge said I can’t get away from the trial. You know he’s rushing the trial,” Trump said Monday night on Outside the Beltway, a radio show on Real America’s Voice, before moving on to the jury.
“That jury was picked so fast—95% Democrats. The area is mostly all Democrats. You think of it as just a purely Democrat area,” the former president added. “It’s a very unfair situation, that I can tell you.” Trump did not cite a source for his claims.
It was only hours prior that Trump tested the gag order, which bars him from commenting on jurors, witnesses or potential witnesses, and attorneys, court staff, or their family members. Outside the courtroom during a break in Monday’s proceedings, Trump talked about Michael Cohen and former Manhattan prosecutor Mark Pomerantz—both potential witnesses.
Reacting to Trump’s jury-related comments, former federal prosecutor and MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann said he was “clearly goading” Merchan. “The fact that he’s doing something that appears by all accounts to be a direct violation of the order as late as tonight in advance of a 9:30 hearing on violations with respect to witnesses and a violation with respect to jurors—both…are things that a judge is going to care tremendously about,” Weissmann said, adding that it’s likely that Merchan will agree with prosecutors that Trump has violated some part of the gag order.
Legal experts believe that Trump’s actions are intended to provoke Judge Merchan, who is expected to decide whether or not Trump has violated the gag order. The former president’s remarks have also raised concerns about the integrity of the trial and the potential for further interference from Trump.
