A New York Appeals Court has rejected former President Trump's bid to delay his upcoming trial over 2016 hush-money payments.
Fox News Digital reported that despite efforts by Trump's legal team to postpone the trial due to prejudicial pretrial publicity, the New York judiciary has stood firm. Trump's attorneys argued that intense media coverage in the liberal-leaning state of New York has tainted potential jurors, compromising the possibility of a fair trial. This argument, however, did not sway the court.
The trial's calendar remains as scheduled. Jury selection is set to commence on April 15, marking the beginning of what promises to be a closely watched-legal proceeding. Former President Trump sought a delay and venue change, which Hon. Lizbeth Gonzalez denied. This decision keeps the spotlight firmly on the Manhattan court and the charges laid out by District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Trump and his legal team have raised multiple objections in the lead-up to the trial. They have questioned the impartiality of Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan based on his daughter's political affiliations and requested his recusal – a request that Merchan denied. Furthermore, Trump’s legal team has been pressing for the trial to be delayed until after the Supreme Court rules on a separate matter of presidential immunity, a ruling that is not expected until mid-June.
The former President has claimed immunity from prosecution for actions taken during his time in office, a topic the Supreme Court expects to address on April 25. In addition to this defense, Trump's lawyers have had to navigate a gag order imposed by Judge Merchan, limiting what they can say publicly about the case.
Before the gag order, Trump’s application for a change of venue stated:
Polling and quantitative analysis of media coverage shows that a fair and impartial jury cannot be selected right now based on prejudicial pretrial publicity.
As Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg alleged, the trial centers on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The falsifications are said to have been carried out to conceal hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign, an act Bragg describes as:
Repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining his innocence and framing the legal action as politically motivated.
The charges against Trump are not isolated but are part of a larger investigation into whether hush-money payments were made to silence allegations, potentially affecting the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. This ongoing legal battle is one aspect of the disputes between Trump and the judiciary, which have played out publicly and contentiously over the years.
Conservatives and supporters of the former President have watched these developments closely, concerned about the potential implications for the integrity of the legal process and the precedent it could set. Many fear that the judiciary's decisions could reflect a broader political bias rather than an objective application of the law.
In conclusion, denying former President Trump's motion to delay his trial is a significant moment in a protracted legal battle. With jury selection beginning on April 15, the case will undoubtedly continue to attract national attention.
Trump's claims of immunity and allegations of bias within the judiciary add layers to an already convoluted legal saga. Trump's legal team and political observers across the spectrum will watch with bated breath the Supreme Court's upcoming involvement in presidential immunity. Regardless of the outcome, the trial is set to be a pivotal chapter in Donald Trump's post-presidency.
