Trump civil fraud trial judge expands gag order: Live

With Donald Trump set to testify in his fraud trial on Monday, you’re probably wondering when he was last in court at his own trial (he’s not obligated to attend as it’s a civil case).

As we’ve seen this week, he certainly wasn’t there to support his two eldest sons as they took the stand — even after Eric dutifully attended behind him each day he sat at the defence table.

Perhaps he’ll stick around for Ivanka’s testimony on Wednesday?

Here’s our coverage of the last time he was in court and how it ended with him storming out — perhaps an indication we should all buckle up on Monday…

I used to resent one of my co-workers who habitually came in late, left early, even helped themselves to other people’s work. There seemed to be no consequences for them, ever. “They’re getting away with murder!” I would sputter in frustration. I understood this to be just a figure of speech; I never really believed things could escalate to actual mayhem.

I thought of this colleague when, in 2016, Donald Trump boasted on tape that he could shoot someone on Fifth Ave and not lose voters. “Figure of speech!” I thought at the time. But then came the next seven years, and the endless cascade of lies and double-dealing from the 45th President. And yet Trump seemed to be correct in his belief that accountability was for suckers.

Until perhaps, at long last, now.

In a written order issued on Friday afternoon after the court adjourned for the weekend, Judge Engoron prohibited Mr Trump’s lawyers from making further comments about his confidential communications with his staff whether inside or outside of the courtroom.

“Since the commencement of this bench trial, my chambers have been inundated with hundreds of harassing and threatening phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters and packages. The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far and away outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm,” the judge wrote.

There will be serious sanctions for those who violate the order.

Judge Engoron clashed with defence attorney Christopher Kise on both Thursday and Friday in court as the former president’s sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump testified.

Serial liar George Santos unleashed a vile attack on the son of a fellow Republican lawmaker, calling him a “felon” and a “drug dealer” who has been “poisoning people on the streets with meth”.

“Last night, the House saw its shadow. Unfortunately, this means there will be two more weeks of Santos,” Mr Womack quipped on X, formerly Twitter.

In response, the embattled New York congressman chose to launch a venomous and highly personal attack on Mr Womack’s son James Womack.

Rachel Sharp reports on what he said.

On 2 November, Judge Arthur Engoron warned that he would widen his gag order to include comments from the Trumps’ attorneys, after they criticised the judge’s principal law clerk for advising him throughout the trial.

The judge imposed a gag order earlier this month that blocks any parties from making comments about the court’s staff after the former president made a series of false and disparaging remarks about her outside the courtroom and on his Truth Social account.

After hours of testimony from Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump this week, which lawyers for the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James said were “extremely” favourable in their case targeting the Trump Organization, lead attorney Christopher Kise launched into a tirade on Friday about the clerk’s perceived “bias”, allegations outlined in a right-wing news website, and what he feels like are “two adversaries” on the bench.

Alex Woodward has been watching the trial unfold in court for The Independent, read the rest of his report here:

A Marine Corps veteran who served as a politically appointed State Department official in former President Donald Trump’s administration was sentenced on Friday to nearly six years in prison for attacking police officers during the 6 January 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

Federico Klein joined other Trump supporters in one of the most violent episodes of the January 6 siege — a mob’s fight with outnumbered police for control of a tunnel entrance on the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace. Klein repeatedly assaulted officers, urged other rioters to join the fray and tried to stop police from shutting entrance doors, according to federal prosecutors.

Klein “waged a relentless siege on police officers” as he tried to enter the Capitol and stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s electoral victory over Trump, prosecutors said in a court filing.

Klein, who didn’t testify at his trial, declined to address the court before US District Judge Trevor McFadden sentenced him to five years and 10 months in prison.

“Your actions on January 6th were shocking and egregious,” the judge told Klein.

McFadden also ordered Klein to pay a $3,000 fine and $2,000 in restitution. He will report to prison at a date to be determined.

Klein worked in the State Department’s office of Brazilian and Southern Cone Affairs from 2017 until he resigned from that position on 19 January 2021, a day before Biden’s inauguration.

Prosecutors said Klein’s participation in the riot was likely motivated by a desire to keep his job as a presidential appointee.

Marjorie Taylor Greene has lashed out at “vaping groping” Lauren Boebert in the latest spat between the friends turned sworn foes.

Mr Roy was one of 23 Republicans who joined 199 Democrats in rejecting Ms Greene’s measure and defended the move in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“Rep. Rashida Tlaib has repeatedly made outrageous remarks toward Israel and the Jewish people. Her conduct is unbecoming of a member of Congress and certainly worthy of condemnation – if not censure,” Mr Roy wrote on X.

The post clearly rattled Ms Greene who fired off an angry reply – while managing to take aim at her fellow MAGA fan but sworn rival Ms Boebert in the process.

Although more than three months remain before the 2024 Iowa caucus kicks into gear, former President Donald Trump has already begun accusing his political rivals of cheating.

In a video posted on the Republican frontrunner’s Instagram page on Tuesday evening, Mr Trump said, “You know the other side does cheat, and we’re not gonna let that happen.”

He encouraged Iowa caucus-goers to “do whatever is necessary” on 15 January to “make America great again.”

“If you do, we will win. We will win big and that’s what you have to do,” the former president added.

Mr Trump is no stranger to bogus election fraud claims.