Fox News legal guest encourages Trump to keep violating his gag order
Jonna Spilbor: “If I were representing Donald Trump, I would tell him to write that check for $16,000 and go violate that ridiculous gag order another eight times”
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From the April 30, 2024, edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom
BILL HEMMER (CO-ANCHOR): Donald Trump has just been fined $8,000 for violations of a gag order imposed by the judge. So that's eight different violations, $1,000 each that total $8,000. Back with Katie and Jonna, did you expect this or is there more to come Katie?
KATIE CHERKASKY (FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR): I expected that he would issue sanctions based upon his responses to the defense attorneys during argument. Judge Merchan made it very clear he felt that Trump had violated these orders. Again, I believe that the orders are unconstitutionally vague and especially the order pertaining to Trump's commentary on the judge's own daughter. Which, according to the order can only be enforced if it interferes with the judge's work, and if that's the case then the judge should have clearly recused himself.
DANA PERINO (CO-ANCHOR): Right, that's a good point.
CHERKASKY: So it's a very circular situation with that. But absolutely, this is what we expected. I believe there's another hearing on Thursday for additional allegations for violations of the order.
PERINO: So this might be an occasion where that will go. The jury was not in the room when those violations were announced and the fines were announced. They were brought in afterwards. But Jonna, in this situation will the jury know about that?
JONNA SPILBOR (CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY): No, they shouldn't. Especially if they're following the order that they're not supposed to be on social media, they're not supposed to be doing different, their own homework, so to speak. And if I were representing Donald Trump, I would tell him to write that check for $16,000 and go violate that ridiculous gag order another eight times. That's what I would tell. We were talking again- this is so unfair given that he's taken off the campaign trail. These jurors can't do their own homework. He should not be gagged.