Key takeaways:
- Former President Donald Trump was fined $10,000 for violating a limited gag order that barred him from making inflammatory comments about court staff.
- The incident began when Trump made a comment about “a person who is very partisan sitting alongside” Judge Engoron.
- The incident has sparked debate among legal experts, with some arguing that Trump’s comments were inappropriate and could have been seen as an attempt to influence the judge.
Former President Donald Trump was briefly called to testify under oath in a New York civil fraud trial concerning the Trump Organization on Wednesday. The trial was interrupted when Judge Arthur Engoron issued Trump a $10,000 fine for violating a limited gag order that barred him from making inflammatory comments about court staff.
The incident began when Trump made a comment about “a person who is very partisan sitting alongside” Judge Engoron. This person was later identified as the judge’s clerk, Allison Greenfield, who typically sits right next to the judge and often questions attorneys for the two sides herself.
After the judge denied his defense’s request for a directed verdict, Trump abruptly left the courtroom. He declared to reporters before walking away: βThe witness just admitted that we won the trial.β
The incident has sparked debate among legal experts, with some arguing that Trump’s comments were inappropriate and could have been seen as an attempt to influence the judge. Others have argued that Trump was simply expressing his opinion and that the fine was excessive.
The trial is ongoing and it remains to be seen how the incident will affect the outcome. In the meantime, Trump’s comments have served as a reminder of the importance of respecting the court and its staff.
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