New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Tuesday that Rikers Island will be “ready” for former President Donald Trump if he is ordered to jail for violating the gag order in his "hush money" trial.
Trump is on trial for allegations that he covered up a sex scandal during the 2016 election by paying "hush money" to porn star Stormy Daniels. These are the first criminal charges ever brought against a former president.
Mayor Adams discussed the issue during a press conference, saying the Department of Corrections “is prepared for whatever comes on Rikers Island,” and compared the former president to holding high profile prisoner Harvey Weinstein.
“We have to adjust, you know — in this business, particularly around law enforcement, we have to adjust whatever comes our way,” Adams said. “But we don’t want to deal with a hypothetical. They’re professionals, they’ll be ready.” NYC (Satan Central) Mayor Eric Adams says Rikers Island is prepared to house President Trump. pic.twitter.com/cXnHXyInRf
— Dane (@UltraDane) May 8, 2024
A gag order issued by Judge Juan Merchan prohibits Trump from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, and jurors. He also cannot comment on prosecutors, court staff, or their relatives.
Judge Merchan has threatened to jail the Republican presidential candidate due to his rulings during two separate hearings that Trump has violated the gag order ten times. So far, Trump has been fined $1,000 for each violation.
The judge noted that he cannot issue a fine higher than $1,000 per violation and lamented that the small fines "unfortunately will not achieve the desired result in those instances where the [defendant] can easily afford such a fine."
Because he could not issue higher monetary penalties, the judge said he "must therefore consider whether, in some instances, jail may be a necessary punishment."
The judge wrote that Trump "violated the Order by making social media posts about known witnesses pertaining to their participation in this criminal proceeding and by making public statements about jurors in this criminal proceeding.""THEREFORE, Defendant is hereby warned that the Court will not tolerate continued willful violations of its lawful orders and that if necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, it will impose an incarceratory punishment."
Many of the posts that were in violation targeted Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels, both witnesses in the case.
