'Bogus excuse': Ex-prosecutor debunks Trump's claim the gag order prevents his testimony
December 10, 2023
A former prosecutor is debunking Donald Trump's claim that he can't testify on Monday because of the gag order.
Responding to Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, saying she wouldn't recommend testifying with a gag order in place. But CNN legal analyst Elie Honig called it a fake excuse.
"I'm mystified by the attorneys blaming the gag order," the former prosecutor told Jim Acosta on Sunday. "It applies no matter where Donald Trump is. It applies to anything he might say on his social media feed, anything on the street, anything from the witness stand. He's not allowed to criticize the judge's staff. It's a very narrow gag order, and it doesn't matter whether he's on the stand or not. To me, that is a bogus excuse that I'm not buying at all."
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Acosta wondered if Trump would show up in court on Monday and rant outside the courtroom without being burdened with an oath.
Honig went on to explain that if Trump violated the gag order a third time, it would be "completely out of bounds" in his mind.
"That is something no one should be allowed to get away with," said Honig. "The thing is the penalties thus far have been minimal. He was fined $5,000 the first time, and $10,000 the second time. For Donald Trump, he could care less about that. If he continues to do this, the judge is going to have to decide how to actually enforce some discipline. So, there's a little bit of a staring match going on here. We'll see if Trump has the gall to do it again. If he does, the judge really has to stand up for his staff in a firm way."
See the full discussion in the video below or at the link here.