In a twist of fate, the New York judge overseeing Donald Trump’s trial concerning alleged hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs has hit the brakes, postponing proceedings that were slated to commence on March 25.
“Trial on this matter is adjourned for 30 days from the date of this letter on consent of the People,” Judge Juan Merchan conveyed in a court filing, effectively shifting the trial to mid-April at the earliest.
The precise date will be hammered out during a hearing on March 25, also addressing the defense team’s grievances regarding evidence disclosure prior to trial, as outlined in the missive.
Prosecutors, gearing up to tackle Trump’s unprecedented criminal prosecution as a former US president, indicated on Thursday their willingness to accept a delay of up to 30 days following an inundation of case documents on both sides.
Trump, eyeing a political resurgence as the Republican candidate in the upcoming election, stands accused of concealing hush money payments pertaining to his triumphant 2016 White House bid.
“An immediate adjournment is appropriate,” urged Trump’s legal representatives in a letter to the judge, citing the recent surge in materials and ongoing disputes.
However, they contested that “30 days is not sufficient given the volume of recently produced materials and the nature of the ongoing disputes.”
Prosecutors allege Trump unlawfully masked reimbursements to his longtime confidant Michael Cohen, intended to cover expenses incurred in burying reports about Trump’s alleged extramarital affairs with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels and a Playboy model. Trump refutes the accusations.
A New York grand jury indicted Trump in March 2023 over payments made to Daniels, known legally as Stephanie Clifford.
In a staunch rebuttal, a statement from the Trump campaign asserted that the former president and his legal team “have been consistent and steadfast that this case has no basis in law or fact, and should be dismissed.”
“We will continue to fight to end this hoax,” the statement vowed.
Marking a historic juncture, Trump faces four criminal cases as he campaigns for a return to the White House, with efforts to stall trial commencements until after the November 5 vote.
In a separate case in Georgia, where Trump is accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, the judge ruled against his legal team’s bid to disqualify the lead prosecutor, District Attorney Fani Willis, over alleged improper relations. Instead, the judge decreed that Willis could proceed with the case provided her lead prosecutor, Nathan Wade, recused himself.
Seizing on his legal entanglements, Trump has endeavored to portray himself to his conservative base as a victim of Democratic persecution, branding the charges as “just a way of hurting me in the election.”
With President Joe Biden and Trump securing ample delegates in their respective party primaries, a rematch appears inevitable, setting the stage for one of the lengthiest election campaigns in US history.
