Live updates: Trump held in contempt of court for violating gag order in hush money case
Donald Trump’s hush money trial got back underway with further testimony from Gary Farro, the banker for former Trump fixer Michael Cohen who took the stand at the end of last week. Cohen was instrumental in making a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels to cover up an alleged affair with Mr Trump.
Judge Juan Merchan began proceedings began on Tuesday by saying he would give the trial a day off to allow Mr Trump to attend his son Barron Trump’s high school graduation before ruling that he found the former president in contempt of court on nine of the first ten violations of the gag order, fining him $1,000 for each.
Further violations may result in “an incarceratory punishment”.
Meanwhile, over the weekend Mr Trump met with Ron DeSantis to resolve their differences after a bruising primary rivalry. The Florida governor’s campaign for the GOP nomination ended in disappointment and the former president now hopes to capitalise on his influence with Sunshine State conservative donors.
The Independent’s Alex Woodward is covering Mr Trump’s trial at Manhattan Criminal Court and will be bringing us regular updates…
Watch: MSNBC correspondent says Trump ‘sleeping’ again in court
Oliver O’Connell30 April 2024 19:15
Nancy Pelosi accuses MSNBC anchor of being ‘Trump apologist’ in heated clash
Nancy Pelosi accused an MSNBC anchor of being a Donald Trump “apologist” during a heated interview on Monday, 229 April. The former House speaker described Joe Biden’s predecessor as having the “worst record of job loss of any president,” to which Katy Tur noted there “was a global pandemic” during the Trump presidency. Ms Pelosi appeared taken aback by the host’s reply, telling her: “If you want to be an apologist for Donald Trump, that may be your role, but it ain’t mine.” Ms Tur defended herself, saying: “I don’t think anyone can accuse me of that.”
Oliver O’Connell30 April 2024 19:00
Trump removes offending social media posts that violated gag order
During the court’s lunch break, and with less than an hour to go before Judge Merchan’s 2.15pm deadline, Donald Trump has removed the offending social media posts that were in violation of the gag order in the his hush money trial.
The former president was fined $1,000 for each of the posts, totalling $9,000 and was told that further violations could mean jail time…
Oliver O’Connell30 April 2024 18:48
Recap: Trump threatened with jail if he keeps violating gag order
Alex Woodward reports from the courthouse in Lower Manhattan:
The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money trial has threatened to throw him in jail if he continues to break the gag order in the case, after hitting him with a $9,000 fine for nine separate violations.
Moments before a second week of witness testimony began on Tuesday morning, New York justice Juan Merchan issued a brief order from the bench finding the former president in contempt of court and ordering $1,000 fines for nine offending Truth Social posts where he attacked witnesses in the case.
In his written order, the judge warned that Mr Trump could face an “incarceratory punishment” if he continues his “wilful violations” of the court’s order, if “necessary and appropriate under the circumstances”.
Oliver O’Connell30 April 2024 18:40
American expats give their views on Trump, Biden and the 2024 election
Gustaf Kilander spoke with American expats:
Oliver O’Connell30 April 2024 18:20
Howard: She’ll get more out of a deal with AMI than ABC. And I’m happy to sign some sort of agreement that alleviates some fears about jurisdiction/meeting only with AMI.
Davidson: I need this to happen.
Judge Merchan decides to excuse the jurors for lunch.
Alex Woodward30 April 2024 17:59
Then a follow-up text conversation from 28 July 2016
Howard: We are going to lay it on thick for her
“I think at this point in time Karen was teetering between two competing deals,” Davidson testifies. “We had requested a meeting where each entity could make a pitch where each could make a pitch where they were the correct avenue for Karen.”
Davidson: Good. Throw in an ambassadorship for me. I’m thinking of Isle of Man.
“It was sort of in jest. That was just a joke,” he says now.
Steinglass: Why is that funny?
“I don’t even think the Isle of Man is a country,” Davidson says. “I know they don’t have an ambassador. But I think it was in reference to Mr Trump’s candidacy. … That somehow if Karen did this deal it would somehow help Trump’s candidacy.”
Alex Woodward30 April 2024 17:56
Back to the texts, continuing into 23 July 2016:
Davidson: How about 1m now. And 75k per year for next 2 years as a fitness correspondent for ami & ur related pubs
Howard: I’ll take it to them but thinking it’s more hundreds than millions
Davidson: 800 now and 100 per year for two years for a total of 1m
Alex Woodward30 April 2024 17:55
An exchange from that same day is then shown.
Howard: Yep I plugged a call in. We will have news by Monday
Howard: Get me a price on McDougall [sic]. All in. Consulting gig perhaps as a fitness expert thrown into mix.
Davidson testifies that McDougal’s goals at the time were to “rejuvenate her career” and “make money” but also “avoid telling the story and … becoming a scarlet letter ‘other woman’”.
Alex Woodward30 April 2024 17:50
Davidson explains: “It was a very unfortunate, regrettable text I sent. That phrase is not one that I use or came up with. That was a term I think by one of Karen’s associates at that first meeting. There were several women who were leaning on Karen to sign a deal with ABC.”
Alex Woodward30 April 2024 17:48
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