A New York state appeals judge denied Donald Trump’s request to delay his April 15 trial on criminal charges related to hush money paid to a porn star while appealing a gag order in the case. The order was issued by Associate Justice Cynthia Kern following a hearing at a mid-level appeals court, with a full panel of judges set to consider Trump’s challenge to the gag order. Trump’s attorneys argued that the order restricting his public comments should be modified to allow him to respond to public criticism from potential witnesses.
The gag order was imposed by Justice Juan Merchan after Trump made threatening and denigrating statements in various legal cases. The order bars Trump from attacking potential witnesses, court staff, and individual prosecutors. It has also been expanded to cover his relatives and the relatives of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. However, it does not restrict Trump’s ability to comment on Merchan or Bragg themselves. Bragg’s office argued that the trial should not be delayed and that Trump’s lawyers could have addressed the issue sooner. They also cited security concerns and potential witness reluctance due to Trump’s comments.
The criminal charges against Trump involve allegations of covering up a payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to porn star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter she claims she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has pled not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denied the encounter with Daniels. Despite his efforts to delay the trial and move the case out of Manhattan, where surveys showed negative public opinion, Trump has lost these bids. The trial is set to proceed as Trump faces several other criminal indictments related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and handling of government documents post-presidency.
The hush money case is just one of the legal challenges facing Trump as he prepares to run against Democratic President Joe Biden in the upcoming election rematch. The other criminal allegations against Trump stem from his post-presidential conduct and his attempts to regain the presidency in 2020. Trump has maintained his innocence in all cases and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Despite the legal obstacles he faces, Trump is moving forward with his campaign against Biden and is determined to contest the election. The ongoing legal battles serve as a backdrop to the political rivalry between Trump and Biden as they gear up for the election. The outcome of the trials could have significant implications for Trump’s future political ambitions and legal standing.
