Trump's Hush-Money Trial to Begin March 25, Judge Denies Dismissal Request - 2024-02-15

Trump's Hush-Money Trial to Begin March 25, Judge Denies Dismissal Request

A New York judge on Thursday said that jury selection in the New York hush money trial of former President Donald Trump will begin March 25, and estimated that the trial will last six weeks.

Trump, who was in Manhattan Supreme Court for the hearing Thursday, will be the first former president to stand trial in a criminal case.

His lawyer Todd Blanche called the trial date a "great injustice" and "election interference, as Trump is seeking the GOP presidential nomination.

In addition to the hush money case, he faces three other pending criminal cases, all of which have a chance of going to trial this year.

Background of the Case

The charges against Trump stem from a $130,000 payment to Daniels by his then-lawyer Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about her alleged sexual tryst with the then-presidential nominee a decade earlier.

Trump, who denies having sex with Daniels, is the front-runner for the Republican nomination.

Judge's Decision

Judge Juan Merchan confirmed that previously set trial start date after denying Tump's request to dismiss the case, where the Republican is charges with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to the payoff to porn star Stormy Daniels.

"We are moving ahead with March 25th," Merchan said.

Trump's Response

Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations against him and has called the case a "witch hunt."

He has also accused the judge of bias and has sought to have him removed from the case.

Legal Experts Weigh In

Legal experts say that the trial is likely to be closely watched and could have a significant impact on Trump's political future.

"This is a very serious case, and it's going to be a very difficult trial for Trump," said Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor.

"The prosecution has a lot of evidence, and they're going to be very aggressive in their case."