First up is Donald Jr. turn. The ex-president’s eldest son is scheduled to testify today in a civil trial in New York. Tomorrow it will be Eric’s turn, on November 8 it will be Ivanka’s turn. Next Monday it will be the ex-president’s turn.
The Trumps must provide information about how they declared their properties to banks, insurance companies and tax authorities. Letitia James, the attorney general of New York State, accuses the Trump Organization of grotesquely over- or undervaluing these properties depending on whether they negotiated bank loans or provided information to the tax authorities.
The Trumps have bad cards. Arthur Engoron, the judge responsible, has already found her guilty in a fundamental decision. The only issue in the trial is whether or not the Trumps will lose control of their organization – and whether they will have to pay a $250 million fine. Making matters worse for the ex-president and his children, their lawyers have failed to secure a jury trial. The judge can therefore decide on his own authority.
The deciding factor for the outcome of the trial will be whether the Trumps will invoke the Fifth Amendment. This constitutional amendment states that no one is required to give testimony that could be used against him/her. The Trumps made extensive use of it in the preliminary investigation. Eric is said to have invoked the Fifth Amendment 500 times.
It is not certain whether they will do so in the process itself. Because this is a civil case, the judge may interpret this as an indirect admission of guilt and use it against you. If the Trumps decide to testify, they will also be on very thin ice. If they deny what might happen to them from time to time, in the worst case scenario they run the risk of being charged with perjury.
Although it’s only a civil case, it’s clearly getting under the ex-president’s skin, and not just because of the threat of a $250 million fine. “This trial is about his identity and his family,” David Urban, a former adviser, told the Washington Post. “It’s about his children and what he has built over the years.”
That is why Trump has appeared in person at this trial several times, even though he was not forced to do so. He was visibly upset and it was difficult to stop him from interrupting. Outside the courtroom, he expressed his anger and insulted the judge, his staff and the attorney general.
This earned him a so-called gag order. This is an order from a judge that prohibits the suspect from publicly commenting on court personnel and witnesses. Naturally, Trump ignored this order and continued to rage. That’s why Judge Engoron has already fined him $10,000.
The $10,000 fine shouldn’t bother him. However, another gag order does. This was pronounced by Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington. She is responsible for the criminal trial into the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This trial is expected to take place next May. The District Attorney’s Office is represented by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith.
Judge Chutkan has now upheld a gag order that she had previously revoked, saying Trump had insulted not only her — which he is usually allowed to do — but also Special Investigator Smith and any witnesses on his Truth Social platform. He called his former Attorney General William Barr “stupid, slow, cowardly and lazy,” and he called the special counsel “deranged.”
Ty Cobb, one of Trump’s former White House lawyers, believes the ex-president already has one foot in prison. When it comes to gag orders, judges have no fun. If the buses don’t stop Trump, he could be arrested soon, Cobb told CNN.
In the case of the ex-president, this would be a sensitive issue, and not just for political reasons. It would also be a logistical problem. It should be clarified how and where his security officers would be housed. As a former president, Trump has a lifelong right to be protected 24 hours a day.
Once again, Trump is trying to portray the whole thing as a political witch hunt and an attempt to restrict his freedom of speech. Judge Chutkan doesn’t want to know about it. “Mr. Trump can claim he is being unfairly prosecuted,” she explained in an explanation of her gag order. “But I can’t think of another case in a criminal trial where the suspect gets to describe the accuser as mentally ill or a bad guy. And I will not accept it in this case either, even though the defendant is in the middle of an election campaign.”
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
