THE SUN
THE judge presiding over Donald Trump’s hush money payment trial would face questions surrounding his competency if he jailed the ex-president for breaching a gag order, a lawyer has said.
Trump vehemently denies allegations that he falsified business records in a bid to kill potentially embarrassing stories in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
He has lashed out at jurors and witnesses online and Judge Juan Merchan concluded a gag order was violated nine times.
Trump was slapped with a $1,000 fine for each violation but Merchan warned the brash tycoon could face further penalties.
A hearing was held on Thursday to investigate if Trump violated the gag order another four times.
Gregory Germain, a law professor at Syracuse University, told The U.S. Sun Trump is doing himself no favors at the early stage of this trial.
“Trump does himself no service by constantly attacking the judge, the jurors, and the clerks,” he said.
“Trump is the defendant. He’s not the judge. The judge is so exasperated at his insistence on trying to control the proceedings.
“It’s a very bad court strategy, but maybe it’s a good political strategy.”
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