'Not Permissible': Donald Trump Accused of Violating Judge's Gag Order by Citing Fox News 'Liberal Activist' Jury Conspiracy
Donald Trump was accused of violating Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order this week.
April 18 2024, Published 9:15 a.m. ET
Donald Trump was accused of violating Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order this week after he cited a “liberal activist” jury conspiracy theory put forth by Fox News host Jesse Watters, RadarOnline.com can report.
In the latest development to come after Trump made history on Monday by becoming the first former U.S. president to appear in court on criminal charges, the already embattled ex-president was accused of violating the judge’s gag order.
Trump allegedly violated the gag order on Wednesday after he took to Truth Social to quote Watters and Watters’ claim that “liberal activists” were “lying” to Judge Merchan to “get on the Trump jury.”
“They are catching undercover Liberal Activists lying to the Judge in order to get on the Trump Jury,” Trump wrote on Wednesday before attributing the quote to Watters.
Former Special Counsel Ryan Goodman then posted Trump’s Truth Social post juxtaposed alongside the terms of Judge Merchan’s gag order.
“On the left: NY judge’s gag order prohibiting Trump from ‘making…public statements about any prospective juror or any juror in this criminal proceeding,’” Goodman wrote alongside the gag order.
“On the right: Trump making public statement about prospective jurors in this criminal proceedings,” he wrote alongside Trump’s Truth Social post.
Flash forward to Wednesday night, and former CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin also accused Trump of violating Judge Merchan’s gag order.
“Is that permissible given the gag order on Trump?” Anderson Cooper asked Toobin about Trump’s “liberal activist” jury conspiracy Truth Social post.
“I don’t think so,” Toobin responded. “I think it’s false, but more importantly, it’s clearly – I think – an attempt to intimidate jurors and it is clearly barred by the gag order in this case.”
Trump reportedly "smirked" at one potential juror who was dismissed earlier this week.
“I mean, Donald Trump doesn’t seem to realize he is now a criminal defendant and criminal defendants have different and lesser rights than ordinary citizens,” he continued. “They are not allowed to interfere in the trial process – especially when there is a gag order that specifically addresses attempts to intimidate jurors.”
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“I mean, it is just not permissible.”
Toobin also suggested that Judge Merchan might “lock [Trump] up for contempt” if the former president “continues to violate the court’s [gag] order.”
Trump made history on Monday by becoming the first former U.S. president to appear in court on criminal charges.
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“If Trump continues to violate the court’s order, it is well within Judge Merchan’s ability and his power to order him locked up for contempt,” Toobin explained. “I don’t think he’s there yet, but if Trump continues to violate these rules – and we are very early in this process – it could happen.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Judge Merchan issued a gag order against Trump last month shortly after the judge set Trump’s criminal hush money trial date for April 15.
Trump was accused of falsifying New York business records to hide several alleged hush money payments he made ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Jury selection in the case is expected to continue through next week. Seven of the 16 jurors needed for the trial were sworn in and seated on Tuesday.
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