Conservative attorney George Conway said Wednesday that he almost “felt bad” for former President Trump’s attorneys, as they argued Tuesday that the former president had not violated the gag order in his hush money trial.
“I almost felt bad for Todd Blanche,” Conway told CNN’s Erin Burnett about his experience in the courtroom.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office contend that Trump has repeatedly violated the gag order that bars him from attacking witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and the judge’s family.
Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing Trump’s criminal trial, held a hearing Tuesday to discuss the former president’s posts online and determine if consequences are in order.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche argued the former president was responding to political attacks and said there was no willful violation of the gag order.
Merchan appeared skeptical of Blanche’s arguments and said the attorney was losing credibility. Conway agreed, calling Blanche’s performance in court “not even close to being anything that was convincing or credible.”
“Blanche couldn’t point to what it was that Trump was responding to,” he said.
Trump’s purported violations were mainly posted to his Truth Social account, where he made comments and shared articles critical of potential witnesses. He called his ex-personal attorney Michael Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels “sleaze bags,” both of whom are set to be key witnesses later in the trial.
Prosecutors are asking for Merchan to fine Trump $1,000 for each of his 10 posts allegedly violating the gag order. Conway said the former president and the presumptive GOP presidential nominee should be fined for his attacks.
“But then, I think there has to be a warning, like, ‘OK, we’re gonna put you in [jail] for an hour or two hours if you keep doing this,’” Conway said.