Editorial: Trump’s mouth on trial: Donald is compelled to spout off and the courts won’t abide it
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Like the scorpion in the fable that causes its own drowning, Donald Trump cannot stop himself from attacking and insulting and belittling. It’s been his nature for his nearly 77 years and helped propel him into the White House. A fitting word for his attitude is contemptuous. While his sneering has often served him well, this trait is now putting him at risk. We hope it sinks him like the scorpion and the frog that was fatally stung.
A day after a Manhattan federal jury unanimously found that Trump sexually abused and defamed E. Jean Carroll and ordered he pay her $5 million, he went on CNN and before a national TV audience defamed her again. Carroll is now seeking at least another $10 million and it’s hard to see how she won’t get it since the evidence against civil defendant Trump going against the court’s verdict is so clear.
Yesterday, criminal defendant Trump was back in court (via a video hookup), before Acting Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, for a hearing on the judge’s protective order barring Trump from doing what he loves.
Under the order, materials supplied to Trump’s lawyers by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office “shall be used solely for the purposes of preparing a defense in this matter” and Trump is forbidden “from disseminating or posting them to any news or social media platforms, including, but not limited, to Truth Social, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, or YouTube, without prior approval from the Court.”
Merchan warned that, “Violation of a court order or court mandate could result in sanctions which include a finding of contempt, which is punishable.” Trump is contemptuous. Now let him test Merchan on contempt, which Trump seemed to hint at on Truth Social shortly afterwards: “Just had New York County Supreme Court hearing where I believe my First Amendment Rights, ‘Freedom of Speech,’ have been violated, and they forced upon us a trial date of March 25th, right in the middle of Primary season.”
Go for it Donald.
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