NY v Trump to resume after former president threatened with jail, told trial to last at least 2 more weeks

The unprecedented transgression proceedings of erstwhile President Trump resumes Tuesday greeting aft the 2024 presumptive Republican statesmanlike nominee was again held successful contempt of court, fined, threatened with jailhouse clip for aboriginal gag bid violations, and told he’ll beryllium required to beryllium successful the Manhattan courtroom for astatine slightest different 2 weeks. 

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying concern records successful the archetypal degree. The charges stem from a years-long probe by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

The charges are related to alleged payments made to soundlessness big movie histrion Stormy Daniels astir an alleged 2006 extramarital matter with Trump earlier the 2016 statesmanlike election.

NY V TRUMP: JUDGE THREATENS JAIL TIME FOR 'POSSIBLY THE NEXT PRESIDENT' FOR FUTURE GAG ORDER VIOLATIONS

This courtroom sketch shows erstwhile President Trump listening arsenic erstwhile Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testifies during Trump's transgression proceedings successful New York City connected May 6, 2024. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indispensable person the assemblage that not lone did Trump falsify the concern records related to alleged hush wealth payments but that helium did truthful successful furtherance of different crime, conspiracy to beforehand oregon forestall election, which is simply a felony.

On their own, falsifying concern records and conspiracy to beforehand oregon forestall predetermination are misdemeanor charges. 

Monday’s time successful tribunal began with Judge Juan Merchan ruling connected remaining alleged gag bid violations, and ruling, erstwhile again, that the erstwhile president violated that rule.

Merchan imposed a gag bid connected Trump earlier the proceedings began, ordering that Trump cannot marque oregon nonstop others to marque nationalist statements astir witnesses with respect to their imaginable information oregon astir counsel successful the lawsuit – different than Bragg – oregon astir tribunal staff, DA unit oregon household members of staff.

The justice connected Monday fined Trump different $1,000 for a Truth Social station astir the proceedings and said helium volition statesman to "consider a jailhouse sentence" for the erstwhile president should helium interruption the gag bid again.

This courtroom sketch shows erstwhile President Trump watching arsenic lawyer Keith Davidson, who represented erstwhile Playboy exemplary Karen McDougal, is cross-examined by defence lawyer Emil Bove during Trump's transgression proceedings successful New York City connected May 2, 2024. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

"The past happening I privation to see is jail," Merchan said. "You are [the] erstwhile president and perchance the adjacent president." 

"The magnitude of that determination is not mislaid connected me," helium continued. "Your continued willful usurpation of the court’s bid … constitutes a nonstop onslaught … and volition not beryllium allowed to continue. … It is not allowed to continue."

Trump and his defence attorneys person argued that the erstwhile president and presumptive Republican statesmanlike nominee should not beryllium bound by the gag order, saying it violates his First Amendment rights arsenic good arsenic the First Amendment rights of his supporters.

EX-TOP BIDEN DOJ OFFICIAL NOW PROSECUTING TRUMP WAS ONCE PAID BY DNC FOR 'POLITICAL CONSULTING'

Trump has been fined a full of $10,000 for gag bid violations truthful far.

Also connected Monday, the prosecution called its 10th witnesser successful the case: Jeff McConney, who served arsenic elder vice president controller astatine the Trump Organization until his status past year. McConney handled taxation returns for the company.

McConney testified that helium was directed by then-Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg to springiness ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen $35,000 per month. He said they switched from making payments from Trump’s spot relationship to his idiosyncratic account. A full of $420,000 was sent to Cohen – a fig McConney said was "grossed up" for taxation purposes.

This courtroom sketch shows erstwhile Trump Organization controller Jeffrey McConney testifying during erstwhile President Trump's transgression proceedings successful New York City connected May 6, 2024. (Reuters/Jane Rosenberg)

But McConney said Trump "did not" personally task him with carrying retired immoderate payments successful 2017.

"Michael Cohen was a lawyer?" Trump defence lawyer Emil Bove asked McConney during cross-examination. 

"Sure, yes," McConney responded. 

"And payments to lawyers by the Trump Organization are ineligible expenses, right?" asked Bove.

"Yes," said McConney.

"President Trump did not inquire you to bash immoderate of the things you conscionable described ... correct?" Bove asked.

"He did not," McConney replied.

NY V TRUMP: DA'S WITNESS TESTIFIES TRUMP DID NOT DIRECT HIM ON COHEN REPAYMENTS

Next, the prosecution called Deborah Tarasoff, a Trump Organization accounts payable supervisor, who allegedly helped put hush wealth payments to Cohen.

Tarasoff labeled the payments to Cohen arsenic "legal expenses" oregon "retainer" astatine the clip they were made.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (Barry Williams/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/File)

Tarasoff said that "only Mr. Trump" could motion checks from his idiosyncratic relationship and added that if helium "didn’t privation to motion a check, helium didn’t motion it." Tarasoff besides testified that she did not person immoderate decision-making authorization and lone followed instructions.

Meanwhile, the prosecution said Monday it would request astatine slightest 2 to 3 much weeks to marque its lawsuit against the erstwhile president.

"So, we conscionable recovered retired the authorities conscionable said that they privation 2 to 3 much weeks. That means they privation to support maine disconnected the way for 2 to 3 much weeks," Trump said aft the assemblage was released for the time Monday. "The justice is truthful blessed astir 2 to 3 much weeks due to the fact that they each privation to support maine disconnected the run trail."

He added, "That's each this is about. This is astir predetermination interference."

Former President Trump waves to fans during the F1 Miami Grand Prix connected May 5, 2024. (Song Haiyuan/MB Media/Getty Images)

Also aft tribunal connected Monday, Trump addressed Merchan's menace of jailhouse clip implicit gag bid violations, telling reporters helium would marque the "sacrifice" of a situation condemnation to support escaped speech.

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Speaking to reporters, Trump said they asked him "a elemental question" and that helium would "like to springiness [an answer], but I can't speech astir it due to the fact that this justice is giving maine a gag bid and says you'll spell to jailhouse if you interruption it."

"And frankly, you cognize what? Our Constitution is overmuch much important than jail. It's not adjacent close. I'll bash that sacrifice immoderate day," Trump said.