Judge Juan Merchan appeared poised on Tuesday to sanction Donald rump for violating the gag order in his criminal hush money case after peppering the former president’s lawyers with questions about why the rump’s social media posts were acceptable.


Tuesday began with a hearing on the rump’s 10 alleged violations of the gag order, and it ended with former American Media Inc. chief David Pecker talking about how he vetted allegations of an alleged affair between the rump and Playboy playmate Karen McDougal in 2016 while in constant communication with therump’s then-fixer, Michael Cohen. (The rump has denied the affair.)


Pecker will return to the stand on Thursday after court is dark on Wednesday. (due to the holiday). He has spoken now about two of the three catch-and-kill deals – but not adult film star Stormy Daniels, which is likely coming on Thursday.

Merchan issued the gag order before the trial began, limiting the rump from publicly discussing witnesses, the jury or the district attorney’s staff.  Merchan expanded the order, which the rump has appealed, to cover his own family after the rump attacked his daughter.

Last edited by Spunky (4/23/2024 7:27 pm)