A trial date has been set for former US President Donald Trump’s hush money case, with proceedings scheduled to commence on April 15, marking the onset of his first criminal trial this spring. The trial, which Trump sought to postpone, citing newly disclosed documents and alleging prosecutorial misconduct, will now proceed as planned, as ruled by Judge Juan Merchan.
Despite Trump’s attempts to delay all four of his criminal cases until after the election, Judge Merchan rebuffed his requests during a hearing on Monday. The judge sided with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg by declining to postpone the trial further, asserting that the prosecution had fulfilled its discovery obligations.
Initially slated to begin on Monday, the trial experienced a last-minute delay after Bragg’s office agreed to a multi-week extension, facilitated by the submission of over 100,000 pages of records by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Subsequently, both parties engaged in a heated debate regarding the tardy disclosure of these documents.
Trump, accompanied by a retinue of lawyers, attended the hearing, maintaining a stoic demeanor throughout the proceedings. Following the session, Trump reiterated his belief that the timing of Bragg’s case was politically motivated, alleging election interference.
The charges against Trump stem from allegations of falsifying business records related to reimbursements made to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to maintain silence about an alleged affair with Trump just before the 2016 election. Trump, while admitting to the reimbursements, denies the affair and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Disagreements arose between Trump’s legal team and prosecutors regarding the volume and relevance of the newly disclosed documents. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, contended that there were “thousands and thousands” of pertinent records, while Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo estimated the number to be around 300.
Blanche further asserted that Bragg’s office had an obligation to disclose these documents months earlier to allow Trump sufficient time to prepare his defense. However, Judge Merchan challenged Blanche to provide precedent supporting his claims, expressing dismay at the serious allegations of prosecutorial misconduct without substantial evidence.
The contentious nature of the trial proceedings reflects the high stakes involved, with Trump’s legal team and prosecutors engaged in a battle of words over the handling of evidence and allegations of political interference. As the trial date approaches, both sides remain steadfast in their respective positions, setting the stage for a closely watched legal showdown.
