A New York appeals court judge has rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to delay his hush money criminal trial scheduled for April 15 in Manhattan. Trump’s lawyers argued for a change of venue to move the trial out of heavily Democratic Manhattan, citing potential prejudice against the former president. The court signaled it would address the gag order issue separately at a later date. The trial is the first of Trump’s four criminal indictments and would be the first criminal trial ever of a former president. Trump is accused of falsifying records to hide payments made to his former lawyer Michael Cohen to bury negative stories during his 2016 campaign.
Trump’s lawyers filed appeals challenging the trial location and the gag order, which prevents Trump from making comments about the judge’s family. The trial judge had already rejected Trump’s requests to move or delay the trial as untimely. Trump’s legal team argued that impartial jury selection in Manhattan would be difficult due to the heavily Democratic nature of the area. The trial involves charges of falsifying business records related to payments made to Michael Cohen, who helped suppress negative news about Trump during his presidential campaign. Cohen paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 to conceal her claims of an extramarital encounter with Trump.
The former president has been engaged in multiple legal battles with the trial judge, including a previous request for the judge to step aside from the case due to alleged bias. Trump has made several attempts to delay the trial by filing appeals and lawsuits against the judge, accusing him of abusing his authority. The judge has rejected these requests for delays and has expanded the gag order to include Trump’s family members from making public statements about the case. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has called for delays in his various criminal cases.
Trump’s legal team argued at an emergency hearing that the trial should be postponed at least until the summer to allow for more time to review late-arriving evidence from a prior federal investigation. The trial judge had already moved the trial start date from March 25 due to evidence issues and determined that further delays were not warranted. Trump has previously used legal mechanisms like Article 78 lawsuits to challenge judicial rulings and delay court proceedings. The appeals court is expected to make a decision on the trial location and gag order issue separately in the coming days.
The hush money trial is a significant legal milestone for Trump, as it marks the first criminal trial of a former president. Trump has maintained his innocence and argued that the payments to Michael Cohen were legitimate legal expenses. The trial involves charges of falsifying business records to conceal payments made to Cohen, who assisted Trump in suppressing negative stories during his presidential campaign. The legal battle between Trump and the trial judge highlights the complexities and challenges involved in prosecuting a former president for criminal offenses.
