Trump accuses NY prosecutors of obstructing access to evidence in hush money case

Donald Trump has accused New York prosecutors of obstructing his access to crucial information about his former lawyer Michael Cohen. The prosecutors charged Trump with crimes related to hush money paid to a porn star. The trial of the former U.S. president has been scheduled for March 25, with the timing in question due to a potential 30-day delay.

Prosecutors' Office Delays Trial

The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced it would not oppose a 30-day delay in the trial due to late disclosure of evidence from federal prosecutors. The delay was attributed to Trump, who is seeking to regain the presidency this year. Trump subpoenaed the U.S. Attorney's office for additional information about Cohen, who previously pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance charges.

Trump's Request for Delay

Donald Trump has requested a 90-day delay in the trial or the dismissal of the indictment. His legal team has asked for a hearing during the week of March 25 to discuss the timing of the trial. They accused Bragg of obstructing their access to discoverable information critical to challenging the credibility of their star witness, Michael Cohen.

Opposition to Subpoenas and Compliance

Bragg's office opposed Trump's subpoena to Cohen, deeming it "extraordinarily broad." However, the court ordered Cohen to comply with some of Trump's requests. The district attorney's office has stated that it fully complied with its obligations to hand over potentially useful evidence to Trump. In response to a separate filing, it mentioned that the bulk of the 73,000 pages turned over to Trump were "irrelevant" to the case.

Accusations and Charges Against Trump

Trump is accused of directing Cohen to pay a porn star $130,000 to remain silent about a sexual encounter and then lying to cover it up. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in the case, one of four indictments he faces. Trump also denies having had an encounter with the porn star.

Importance of Cohen's Testimony

Cohen's testimony is expected to be crucial in bolstering the prosecution's case that Trump knew his payment to the porn star violated campaign finance law, and that he falsely recorded his reimbursement to Cohen to conceal the crime. Trump's defense lawyers plan to challenge Cohen's credibility at trial.

Potential Trial Delays and Complications

Any delay to the hush money trial could complicate efforts to schedule trials in Trump's three other criminal cases. These cases stem from his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden and his handling of sensitive government documents after leaving office. Trump has also pleaded not guilty in those cases.