Donald Trump has returned to his campaign and called "corrupt" the judge presiding over the case against him over money paid to silence a porn star, a day after he was charged with contempt of court and threatened with prison for violating a court order requiring him to refrain from certain statements, the Associated Press reported, citing from BTA.
Trump's remarks at events in the key US election states of Wisconsin and Michigan have been closely watched after he was fined $9,000 for making public statements about people connected to the case against him.
In imposing the fine related to the posts on Trump's account on the social network "Trut Social" and on his campaign website, Judge Juan M. Merchan said that if Trump continued to violate his orders, he would "impose a term of imprisonment.".
"No crime. There's a corrupt judge,'' Trump said, speaking to supporters at an event in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He reiterated that this and other cases against him are being pursued by the White House to undermine his campaign.
The restraining order prohibits the former US president from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and certain others related to his case over money paid to silence a porn star. However, Trump is free to criticize Merchan, AP notes.
The former president is trying to strike an unprecedented balance in American history by running for a second term as the Republican Party nominee while also battling felony charges in New York. He frequently criticizes Judge Merchan, prosecutors and potential witnesses at his rallies and on social media -- attacks that appeal to his supporters but potentially put him at further legal risk.
The former president insists he was simply exercising his right to free speech, but the offending posts were removed from his Twitter account. and from his campaign website. The judge is currently evaluating other alleged violations of the restrictions he has imposed and will hear arguments today.
Trump often calls this case and other criminal cases brought against him "election interference." He claims that they are preventing him from campaigning for the presidential election in November.
Attendees at the rally agreed with his view that he was being unfairly prosecuted, saying the trial and the order barring him from attacking people connected to the case were meant to distract him, the AP noted.