The third week of the criminal trial of Donald J. Trump began with a rebuke: The judge, Juan M. Merchan, held the former president in contempt and fined him $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order. He also threatened jail time if the violations continued.
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That decision on Tuesday, triggered by Mr. Trump's comments on social media about witnesses and others, preceded riveting testimony from a lawyer who had arranged a $130,000 hush-money payment to conceal a tryst between Mr. Trump and a porn star, Stormy Daniels, a sum paid weeks before the 2016 election.
Right before court adjourned, Justice Merchan gave us a reminder of the biggest news of the day: Trump being held in contempt and fined $9,000. The judge noted that a hearing about what prosecutors say are four more violations of Trump's gag order — which could cost him $4,000 more — should only take 30 minutes when we resume on Thursday. After that hearing, Davidson is expected to pick up in his testimony where he left off: On the verge of completing the hush money deal that silenced the story of his client Stormy Daniels.