CNN analyst Mark Preston believes that if former President Trump is imprisoned for breaking the gag order in his hush money trial, there would be widespread social upheaval and it would benefit him in the polls.
Preston, along with CNN’s Jim Acosta and others, discussed the potential for Judge Juan Merchan to temporarily place the former president in a holding cell after he deliberately disobeyed the expanded gag order, which prohibits Trump from publicly criticizing witnesses, prosecutors, court staff, jurors, and the judge’s family.
“If that were to happen, first of all, I think you would probably see civil unrest across the country, certainly in some cities. That’s one,” he said, highlighted by Mediaite. “And two, politically, if I’m the Biden campaign, I don’t want to necessarily see him in jail, because that’s just going to get people more inflamed and more fired up.”
Preston and other panelists pointed out the politicization of the case and particularly how Trump has used his ongoing legal battles to his advantage. Trump’s mugshot from surrendering at a Fulton County jail for his Georgia election interference case has become a symbol of resistance.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on Monday sought to fine Trump for his inflammatory social media posts about the criminal hush money case, which made history as the first criminal trial of a former president. Assistant District Attorney Chris Conroy asked for Trump to be fined $1,000 for each social media post and to be reminded that he could be jailed for violating a gag order.
Merchan opted to hold an April 23 hearing, when he’ll hear arguments on the prosecution’s request.
Upon arriving at the courthouse Friday, Trump blasted the gag order, saying it “has to come off.”
“People are allowed to speak about me and I have a gag order, just to show you how much more unfair it is,” he said.
Trump said the gag order has taken away his constitutional right to speak, and he has “a lot to say” to the press, although he has spoken to reporters in the courthouse each day since the trial began Monday.
As of Thursday, 12 jurors and one alternate had been selected, after nearly 100 people were dismissed for their inability to be impartial in the case about the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
