Judge Arthur Engoron, who has come under fire for his antics during proceedings, fined former President Donald Trump $10,000 for allegedly violating a gag order. Word came on Thursday, however, that the judge will reconsider the fine.
The Wednesday fine was the second imposed by Engoron, who is presiding over the 2024 Republican frontrunner’s fraud trial in Manhattan. Leftist radical New York Attorney General Letitia James brought the charges after campaigning to take Trump down.
Trump faced his second fine after commenting outside the courtroom that a “very partisan” person was sitting next to Engoron.
That simple statement was enough to draw the judge’s wrath and a penalty. According to the New York Times, Trump explained in court that he was referring to his former lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, who is a witness in the case.
The first fine, levied for $5,000, was due to a social media post concerning Engoron’s law clerk, Allison Greenfield.
Trump spokesperson on $10k fine just imposed for violating the gag order in the New York civil fraud case — pic.twitter.com/H0zOhYP1si
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) October 25, 2023
The New York judge said on Thursday that he will reconsider the second fine for allegedly violating the gag order. Trump attorney Christopher Kise argued in court that Engorgon was mistaken on the meaning of Trump’s comments and violated his First Amendment rights.
Engorgon declared he would “reconsider the sanctions decision, because I do want to see the clip and the transcript.” He added, however, “Unless I say otherwise, the decision stands.”
The gag order was imposed on Oct. 3 after Trump posted on social media that the judge’s top clerk was politically biased along with her name and image. The original $5,000 fine was levied after the posting remained on his campaign website after the order.
Trump stands accused by James of inflating the value of his property. No matter that all loans secured were repaid in full and there are no complaints from the lenders, Trump is being sued for allegedly exaggerating his assets.
When he spoke to reporters on Wednesday, the former president said he faced “a very partisan judge, with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside him.”
He is correct, of course, and the New York case is just one of the current Democratic abuses of power targeting Trump. The party of Biden believes that if one doesn’t stick, another one eventually will and they will be rid of the president’s chief rival.
