Bragg seeks to penal­ize Trump with con­tempt, $3,000 fine over gag order

Man­hat­tan Dis­trict Attor­ney Alvin Bragg asked a judge to hold Don­ald Trump in crim­i­nal con­tempt and fine the for­mer pres­i­dent $3,000 for alleged­ly vio­lat­ing a gag order, accord­ing to a court fil­ing made pub­lic Tues­day.
Pros­e­cu­tors said Trump “will­ful­ly” vio­lat­ed the order, issued on April 1, by post­ing three sep­a­rate times on social media about known wit­ness­es and a pros­e­cu­tor in Trump’s hush mon­ey case in New York.
They argued Trump should be held in crim­i­nal con­tempt, and that con­tempt sanc­tions should include a fine of $1,000 per post and a warn­ing that any future gag order vio­la­tion would result in a penal­ty of up to one month in prison.
“Defen­dant is not above the law, and he can­not sim­ply dis­re­gard judi­cial orders that upset him,” pros­e­cu­tors wrote.
Judge Juan Mer­chan had restrict­ed Trump from speak­ing about wit­ness­es in the case, pros­e­cu­tors and their fam­i­ly, and court staff and their fam­i­ly. While Trump is …