Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case in New York, found that the former president violated his gag order and threatened to put him behind bars “if necessary.”
Merchan has imposed a gag order barring Trump from attacking witnesses, court staff, jurors, and members of their families. He previously found that Trump had violated the gag order in nine other instances and fined him $9,000.
On Monday, Merchan ruled Trump’s saying the jury was “picked so fast” and was “95% Democrats” in an interview last month violated the gag order.
“I find you in criminal contempt for the 10th time,” Merchan says, according to CNN.
“Going forward this court will have to consider a jail sanction,” the judge says, noting the $1,000 fine is not deterring Trump from violating the gag order.
Merchan says the last thing he’d want to do is put Trump in jail but if he continues to violate the gag order he will be left with no choice.
“Mr. Trump its important you understand the last thing I want to do is put you in jail. You are the former president of the United States and possibly the next president as well,” he said.
“The magnitude of this decision is not lost on me but at the end of the day I have a job to do,” Merchan added. “So as much as I don’t want to impose a jail sanction…I want you to understand that I will if necessary and appropriate. But at the end of the day I have a job to do and part of that job his to protect the dignity of this judicial system.”
