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But instead fined him $5,000. This headline is stupid.
I am not a lawyer, but my first thought is that you cannot pass a six figure (or more) fine for this kind of infraction. Even though Trump is starting to show a pattern of disregarding this specific case’s proceedings, the judge would have to start at a reasonable amount and go up from there. In this case, I searched for reasonable fines for violating a gag order and got $1000 to $10000. If he handed down a $500,000 fine then the media / right would go crazy questioning if this fine was justified by Trump’s actions. I think we all know that regardless of the sum (barring $100,000+ fines), Trump is gonna disregard the fine and do it again. But doing so gets Trump closer to actually being imprisoned (in theory). The actual threat of being imprisoned is far more likely to quiet Trump than a monetary fee. ‘Tis the life of the (comparatively) rich, monetary fines don’t have the same sticking power as for you and I.
There are many other countries, including some with some shared legal history with the US, where civil fines are proportional to the income and/or wealth of the person. Rich people get four or five or six figure traffic tickets, etc.
All gag orders are not equal. Given this one was due to what amounts to a threat against his staff, I find it unlikely most judges in other circumstances would have let this happen with such flagrant disregard for the order without jail time. The fact is, Trump supporters are violent, and this judge is scared of that violence. A slap on the wrist is all he had the courage to do, and I'm doubtful anything will change with this judge going forward. He just knows how appalling it is to have his hard working and innocent staff threatened and reacted like someone with a spine momentarily, and then he realized he doesn't have one and walked it back.
The entire thing is theater.
This is the bit I don't get, Trump doxxing court staff and encouraging his followers to harass them is surely way beyond contempt of court. Is that not an entirely new crime by itself?
You'd think so, but like we're seeing with the Jim Jordan thing, people are quite honestly (and reasonably) scared of escalating violence and harassment from... punishing the incitement of violence and harassment. The problem comes from the fact that you can't stop the escalation that will occur simply by punishing the inciter--you make it worse. That's why mob violence and stochastic terrorism are so scary.
Another mind reader I see. Tell us, has the judge already decided if he is guilty? And what number am I thinking of?
U mad?
That's refreshingly rational, all things considered. Thank you.