A New York judge has rejected Donald Trump’s request to dismiss criminal charges related to hush money paid to a porn star, setting the stage for the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president.
Justice Juan Merchan denied Trump’s request to dismiss the 34-count indictment, which accuses him of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The trial is scheduled to begin on March 25, ahead of three other criminal cases Trump faces.
Trump, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the November 5 US election, has claimed that the case is politically motivated. “They wouldn’t have brought this except for the fact – no way – except for the fact that I’m running for president and doing well,” Trump said.
Despite Trump’s legal challenges, he has won the first four state nominating contests and holds a significant lead over his lone challenger, Nikki Haley, in opinion polls.
Trump’s legal team has also asked a Georgia judge to disqualify the prosecutor who charged him and several allies with crimes related to trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state.
Trump also faces federal charges in Washington over his efforts to overturn his election loss and in Florida over his handling of classified documents. He has pleaded not guilty in all cases.
During a court hearing, Trump’s lawyer pressed Merchan to reconsider the trial date, citing scheduling issues with the other cases. Merchan responded firmly, stating that Trump would not be able to attend more than one criminal trial at the same time.
