Judge Arthur Engoron on Friday berated Donald Trump for violating the gag order in his New York civil fraud, fined the ex-president, and warned of “possibly imprisoning him” if he does it again.
“Donald Trump has received ample warning from this Court as to the possible repercussions of violating the gag order. He specifically acknowledged that he understood and would abide by it,” Judge Engoron said in his order, CNN reported. “Accordingly, issuing yet another warning is not longer appropriate; this Court is way behind the ‘warning’ stage.'”
Trump had neglected to remove a derogatory post about the judge’s law clerk that had infuriated Judge Engoron.
“I learned that the subject post was never removed from the website,” Judge Engoron said. “And, in fact, had been on that website for the past 17 days. I understand that it was removed late last night but only in response to an email.”
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“The post,” CBS News reported, “which was spotted Thursday by the pro-democracy news website MeidasTouch, was a duplicate of one posted to Trump’s social media site on Oct. 3, and deleted soon after New York Judge Arthur Engoron issued a limited gag order, barring Trump from posting or speaking publicly about the judge’s staff.”
Judge Engoron had “asked Trump’s lawyers why he shouldn’t impose ‘serious’ sanctions, ‘including financial sanctions’ ‘or possibly imprisoning him.'”
In his final order imposing the $5000 fine, Judge Engoron wrote: “Make no mistake: future violations, whether intentional or unintentional, will subject the violator to far more severe sanctions, which may include, but are not limited to, steeper financial penalties, holding Donald Trump in contempt of court, and possibly imprisoning him pursuant to New York Judiciary Law § 753.”