Judge To Consider Whether Donald Trump Violated Gag Order In Hush Money Trial

deadline.com:

Before Donald Trump‘s hush money trial continues this morning, the judge in the case will consider whether the former president has violated a partial gag order.

Judge Juan Merchan’s restrictions prohibit Trump from commenting on expected witnesses, courtroom staff, the jury, members of the prosecution team and the judge’s family.

He is holding a hearing before the trial resumes at around 11 a.m. ET. Trump has savaged his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, in posts and re-posts on Trump-owned Truth Social and through articles posted to his campaign web site.

He went after Cohen again outside the courtroom after proceedings ended on Monday. “When are they gonna look at all the lies that Cohen did in the last trial?” Trump told reporters, adding, “So he got caught lying — pure lying — and when are they gonna look at that?”  Cohen, identified by Manhattan prosecutors as a key witness in their case against Trump, paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 in 2016 to stay quiet about her claim of a sexual encounter with the real estate magnate and star of The Apprentice shortly after Melania Trump had given birth to the couple’s son.