Trump's Lawyers Seek Trial Delay in New York Hush Money Case

Today, Donald Trump is attending a court hearing in New York, where his legal team is making efforts to delay his trial date for charges related to falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to women who claimed to have had affairs with him.

Trump Denies Allegations as He Arrives at the Courtroom

On his arrival at Manhattan Supreme Court, Trump dismissed the charges, referring to the case as a "witch hunt" and a "hoax," when speaking to reporters.

Postponement of Trial Date and Request for Delay

The trial, initially scheduled to commence on Monday, has now been postponed at least until mid-April. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has agreed to a 30-day delay to allow Trump's legal team time to review recently submitted documents. Trump's attorneys are seeking either a complete dismissal of Bragg's indictment or a trial delay of at least 90 days. The presiding judge, Juan Merchan, is expected to determine a new trial date during or following today's court proceedings.

New York Attorney General's Pursuit of Financial Penalties

At the same time, New York Attorney General Letitia James is pursuing a $454 million fraud judgment against Trump in a separate civil case, with the possibility of commencing collections as early as today. Despite his appeals, Trump has been unable to secure a bond to halt the impending penalty. Facing four active criminal cases and multiple costly civil cases, Trump criticized both the fraud case and the hush money case prior to today's hearing.

Trump's Reaction to the Civil Case

In response to the civil case, Trump expressed his outrage, asserting on his social media platform Truth Social that the penalty should be "ZERO" as he claimed innocence. Additionally, he called the D.A. Case "CORRUPT," urging for its dismissal, insisting that there was no crime committed.

Details of the Indictment and Charges

Bragg's indictment comprises 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal detrimental information from voters before the 2016 presidential election. The focal point of the case is a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels just prior to the election, intended to secure her silence about an alleged extramarital affair with Trump years earlier. Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen, who made the payment, has pleaded guilty to making an illegal campaign contribution at Trump's behest and is slated to testify in the hush money trial. Trump, denying the allegations, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.