Donald Trump has been fined $10,000 for a remark he made outside court in his New York civil fraud trial.
Violating a Gag Order
Trump was called to the witness stand before being slapped with the hefty fine. The judge said he’d violated a gag order, making it the second time in just a few days that the former president was punished for comments made outside the courtroom.
Trump’s Inappropriate Comment
Judge Arthur Engoran called on Trump to testify about a comment he made to reporters in which he claimed that “a person who’s very partisan [is] sitting alongside” the judge. This came after Engoran made it very clear that nobody involved in the trial was allowed to make public comments about his staff following a social media post, made by Trump, regarding his principal law clerk – the same person his newest remark was seemingly about.
The Clerk vs. Micheal Cohen
Trump claimed that his “a person who’s very partisan” comment wasn’t about the clerk. They alleged that it was about Michael Cohen, a former member of Trump’s legal team who had testified in the case.
Judge Engoron’s Assessment
Judge Engoron rejected the defense and deemed it “not credible” given that he sat closer to the clerk than to Cohen. “The idea that the statement would refer to the witness doesn’t make any sense to me,” he said.
Another Hefty Fine
Only days earlier, Trump was fined $5,000 when Judge Engoron was informed that the former president’s original post about the clerk had remained on his campaign website for weeks despite being taken down from his social media page.
Trump Left the Room
Despite claiming that his latest remark was about Cohen, Trump made his feelings about the clerk very apparent. “I think she’s very biased against us. I think we’ve made that clear,” he said. Shortly after he was fined, the former president left the courtroom – something he’s allowed to do as his attendance is not mandatory.
Impulsivity, Self-Control, and Privilege
Trump’s constant violation of gag orders undoubtedly raises questions about his impulsivity and self-control. It also raised questions about privilege, given that most people would be handed jail time for such violations.
The Internet’s Response
News of Trump’s fine was shared across the internet and people rushed to comment sections to give their opinions on the matter. Overwhelmingly, they found the punishment to be far too light.
A Necessary Stepping Stone
Some people called the fine pointless and claimed the former president would raise the money in donations in no time. Others said it was a necessary stepping stone to sending him to jail.
An Interesting Theory
One social media commenter said: “We can only assume that these fines are setting the legal precedent for his eventual prison sentence since prosecutors can say, ‘As you can see, fines mean nothing and he needs to be in jail.’ It’s a frustrating process, no doubt. I just hope I’m right in the end.”
Zero Benefit of the Doubt
Another person wrote: “Even if Trump was indeed referring to Cohen with his remark, his previous comments and behavior have made it extremely difficult to give him any benefit of the doubt. The stupidest thing he could’ve done from the onset was to openly and publicly antagonize the judge… the same guy who’s gonna pass judgment in the end.”
Pushing an Agenda
Others speculated about Trump’s potential future behavior: “As soon as he’s out of the courtroom, he’s going to start riling up the media and cultists about a biased judge taking away his free speech. You know he can’t help himself and he’s doing it on purpose to push his agenda.”
The Fine Was Too Small
One person said the fine wasn’t enough. “Should be another zero there. He probably can’t afford what he got. If he had any money, he could afford a much better fake tan [than whatever] he uses. I think he likes being called ‘pumpkin head,’” they wrote.
Fining a Millionaire
Some people tried to better understand the situation. “I have a question. Are these fines in line with what a judge is allowed to do or can they enforce much stricter penalties? Because fining a millionaire a couple of thousand dollars is very weak,” one individual asked.
A $100k Fine
Somewhat echoing the aforementioned commenter, another person said: “No law expert here but is this the standard amount that could be applied for such an offense? Or does it vary depending on the offense or financial background of the accused? Could the judge, say, set a $100k fine for such an offense?”
Asking for Donations
Others said that Trump will simply ask for donations to pay his fines. One such commenter wrote: “If the punishment for a crime is just a fine, it is only a crime if you’re poor. I’m sure the orange clown is going to fundraise way more than $10k off of this.”
Trump’s Delusional Cultists
Quite a few people agreed with the aforementioned individual. “Well, that’s pointless. He’ll get his delusional cultists to pay it for him… and they actually will. He needs to be put in jail for these violations,” one person wrote.
Another Delay Tactic
Another individual said: “Trump will keep going. He’ll get thrown in jail but it’ll only be for a few days. Then his lawyers will appeal the ruling on the grounds that he can’t have Secret Service protections in jail and there will be a whole new issue to be solved regarding that question. Then they’ll appeal that ruling. It’s just another delay tactic.”
“Someone Else Is Running the Country for Him”: President Biden Accidently Reads Out Teleprompter Instructions During Speech
“Reverse Racism Doesn’t Exist, Idiot”: Biden’s Praise for Kamala Harris Raises Eyebrows
President Biden has claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris is fighting for freedom and that the Biden administration has rebuilt the economy. Understandably, his comments have left some people confused.
“Reverse Racism Doesn’t Exist, Idiot”: Biden’s Praise for Kamala Harris Raises Eyebrows
“I’d Like to See Him Pass a Polygraph”: Trump Fails at Basic Math and Rambles About Passing Meaningless Competency Test
According to NBC, Donald Trump has given a lengthy response to a question regarding age concerns. The former president and Republican presidential nominee candidate, who often says Biden is too old for his job at age 80, is 77.
“Seems Like Pure Racism”: House Approves Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Amendment to Cut the Secretary of Defense’s Pay to $1
The House has approved Marjorie Taylor Greene’s amendment to cut Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s salary to $1.
“In the Far Future, White People Won’t Exist”: Biden Says White People Will Soon Be a Minority in America
President Joe Biden has boldly claimed that the United States will soon become “a minority-White European country.”