'Sticking his thumb in the judge's face': Michael Cohen says $1k gag order fines are joke

Fining Donald Trump $1,000 per gag order violation is a joke, key trial witness Michael Cohen and former prosecutor Glenn Kirschner agreed on Cohen's"Mea Culpa" podcast, which aired Friday.

Prosecutors have proposed the punishment if a judge finds Trump broke the order with social media posts aimed at witnesses — including Cohen.

Judge Juan Merchan has scheduled a Tuesday hearing after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Trump of contempt for what he said were multiple violations.

Kirschner was furious to see the court try to hold out for so long.

"You don't let somebody violate court orders — gag orders — with impunity," said Kirschner.

While many people have expressed anger at the request for just a $1,000 fine for Trump's violations, Kirschner explained to Cohen that the sum is a maximum under New York law.

Cohen called the fine "B.S."

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Kirschner explained that is why he thinks that the judge will ultimately be forced to put Trump in jail for contempt of court. Under the law, violations can get up to $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail for each violation.

He anticipates that the Judge will hold Trump in contempt, fine him and, if he does it again, jail him.

Trump allies, like former White House lawyer Jim Schultz, doesn't think jail will be a realistic option, but others say that there won't be any other way to stop Trump.

"You really can't even begin to imagine what happens to the witnesses," said Cohen. "And I know this because I happen to be the one that's here. Look, I'm under subpoena. I keep talking about this. I am not a guy who said, 'Oh, oh please, please! I want to be a witness in this case.' I don't want to be a witness in this case.

"And if they would tell me tomorrow — you know what, you come with too much baggage, we're not going to use you. We're just going to use your documents. I would say, 'Thank you very much, have a great day. I wish you the best of luck either way.' It's not my fight, it's your fight when he does this."

Cohen said that Trump knows that the gaslighting and the dog whistles work to motivate his supporters. Each time he deploys such a message, "He puts my life in jeopardy."

"He knows exactly what he's doing, and you're right, he's sticking his thumb in the judge's face, he doesn't care," said Cohen. "And in fact, I don't think he's going to stop. I think he's going to actually press the judge to do something more than him with the $1,000 fine."

Cohen and Kurschner both agreed that Trump can raise $1,000 in a second by asking his supporters for funds.

"It's obstruction of justice. It's witness tampering, and it has to stop," said Cohen.

Listen to the full podcast here.

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