New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan on Tuesday could fine and send former President Donald Trump to jail for up to 30 days for allegedly violating his gag order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It would be a \u201cGREAT HONOR\u201d to become a \u201cmodern-day Nelson Mandela\u201d in the \u201cclink\u201d for speaking the truth about Merchan, Trump said<\/a> in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merchan will hold a hearing on Tuesday to determine whether Trump allegedly violated the \u201cunconstitutional\u201d gag order, as Trump described it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gag order prevents<\/a> Trump from making public comments about witnesses participating in the trial, counsel other than Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), \u201cmembers of the court\u2019s staff and the District Attorney\u2019s staff, or \u2026 the family members of any counsel or staff member, if those statements are made with the intent to materially interfere with \u2026 counsel\u2019s or staff\u2019s work\u201d on the case. It also encompasses prospective jurors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump could be fined<\/a> and put in jail if Merchan rules in favor of the prosecution, according to Reuters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merchan could opt to fine Trump $1,000 for each of those violations, as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg\u2019s office has requested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n The law permits the judge to send Trump to jail for up to 30 days, in what would be a dramatic twist to the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Trump says the partial gag order, which prevents him from publicly criticizing witnesses, court officials and their relatives, is a violation of free speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe gag order has to come off,\u201d Trump told reporters last week. \u201cPeople are allowed to speak about me, and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve taken away my constitutional rights to speak,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey can say anything they want,\u201d Trump said about his political foes. \u201cThey can continue to make up lies and everything else. They lie. They\u2019re real scum. But you know what, I\u2019m not allowed to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo why am I gagged about telling the truth?\u201d Trump questioned. \u201cI\u2019m only telling the truth. They\u2019re not telling the truth. The judge has to take off this gag order. It\u2019s very, very unfair that my constitutional rights have been taken away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felonies in the criminal case concerning alleged election interference and a legal retainer paid to Michael Cohen. The trial is the first-ever criminal trial of a president of the United States. Trump could face jail time if convicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Only about one-third of American adults believe<\/a> Trump did anything illegal regarding the case, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case is <\/em>New York v. Trump<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>No. 71543-23, in the New York Supreme Court for New York County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n