- Trump’s dismissal request denied
- Jury selection proceeds March 25
- Legal, political challenges escalate
Former United States President Donald Trump’s petition to have criminal proceedings against him dismissed on the grounds of alleged hush money paid to adult performer Stormy Daniels was denied by a New York judge.
Donald Trump, the presumptive nominee for the Republican presidential nomination and probable rival of Joe Biden in the November election, petitioned Judge Juan Manuel Merchan to vacate a 34-count indictment against him for allegedly fabricating business records to obscure a $130,000 payment he made to Daniels prior to his victory in the 2016 presidential election.
Nevertheless, Merchan stated on Thursday that jury selection will continue for the trial on March 25, despite Trump’s pleadings.
He stated that he reached the conclusion after consulting with the judge in Washington regarding Trump’s at-this-time-postponed federal election interference case.
As he entered the courthouse prior to the hearing, Trump reaffirmed his contention that the case was driven by political considerations.
In a corridor outside the courtroom, he stated, “They would not have brought this except for the fact – no way – except for the fact that I am running for president and doing well.”
The Manhattan case revolves around a remuneration offered by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen to Daniels (actually Stephanie Clifford) to stifle her from disclosing publicly, prior to the 2016 election, details of a sexual encounter she had with Trump a decade prior. Trump himself refutes the existence of this payment.
In 2018, Cohen entered a guilty plea for violating federal campaign laws.
Prosecutors levied charges against Trump, alleging that he attempted to obscure infringements of a state statute that proscribes illegitimate campaign promotion.
State prosecutors are not permitted to use Trump’s alleged cover-up to substantiate the charges of falsifying records, and federal elections are not governed by state law, according to Trump’s attorneys.
In the preceding year, Trump has denounced Merchan, labelling him a “judge who despises Trump,” demanded his resignation from the case, and unsuccessfully attempted to transfer the proceedings from state to federal court.
While acknowledging a history of making modest contributions to Democratic causes, including $15 to Biden, Merchan maintains his “ability to be fair and impartial” towards Trump, the Republican candidate.
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On Thursday, Trump’s attorneys will petition a Georgia magistrate to disqualify the prosecutor who filed charges against him and several allies in an effort to revoke his loss in the 2020 Georgia presidential election.
Trump faces a growing convergence of political and legal obstacles in the run-up to his anticipated rematch with Biden in November.
He faces federal charges in Washington and Florida for mishandling secret documents due to his efforts to overturn his election loss.
