Efforts to Postpone Trial: Trump's Ongoing Legal Maneuvers

Donald Trump’s lawyers are exploring different ways to delay the start of the president’s criminal New York hush money trial scheduled for April 15, even though the chances of success are slim.

Trump’s legal team has requested to postpone the trial due to the amount of attention it has received, but Judge Juan Merchan has already denied this motion.

The former president asked again this week for Merchan to step aside due to his daughter's involvement in Democratic politics. Merchan had rejected this request last year as well.

Special Counsel Jack Smith arrives to give remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against former President Donald Trump on August 1, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Special Counsel Jack Smith will be giving a speech about a newly revealed indictment that lists four serious charges against former President Donald Trump. The event is scheduled to take place on August 1, 2023, in Washington, DC.

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Related article

Special counsel blasts judge’s jury instruction request in Trump documents case

Trump's team has been advocating for a postponement of the New York trial for months, as part of their strategy to delay all trials until after the 2024 election. Merchan still has to make decisions on Trump's motions to recuse and postpone the trial, as well as a motion to delay the trial until the Supreme Court rules on presidential immunity.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the immunity arguments on April 25, and a ruling is anticipated in June.

It seems that Merchan is not likely to change his stance on any of these issues to postpone the trial further. However, the judge did postpone the trial last month for three weeks due to a late production of discovery documents.

At the pre-trial hearing on March 25, Trump's team requested permission from Merchan to file a motion to adjourn. They claimed that negative news coverage of Trump's previous trials could bias potential jurors and that the district attorney should not have waited until so close to the election to bring the case against Trump.

In response, Manhattan prosecutors, in a filing on Wednesday, urged Merchan to deny the motion. They argued that pretrial publicity will continue and that any biased jurors can be identified and removed during jury selection.

Prosecutors stated in a court filing that due to this trial being a criminal case involving a former president, there will be significant media attention regardless of the timing or location of the trial. The defendant seems to understand that the public interest in this case will not diminish anytime soon, indicating a strategy to prolong the trial indefinitely.

In response to the defendant's concerns about pretrial publicity, prosecutors emphasized the need to proceed with the trial promptly.

Trump's lawyers have requested Merchan to file a motion for his recusal, which is anticipated to be submitted later this week. They argue that his daughter's affiliation with the Democratic political group Authentic Campaigns warrants his recusal.

Video Ad Feedback

'He goes off': Honig reacts to Trump's post after judge expands gag order

01:47

• Source:

CNN

According to Trump's lawyers, Authentic will financially benefit from the trial by having more fundraising opportunities for its clients. In addition, Authentic will earn more money by helping with these communications. Your Honor's daughter, who holds a senior position at Authentic, will also continue to receive income from these developments.

The district attorney's office pointed out that Merchan had already turned down a similar recusal request the previous year.

In response to the allegations, prosecutors highlighted that there were several factual leaps that weakened the connection between Authentic and the case. They noted that while Authentic had received money from certain entities associated with politicians, there was no concrete evidence linking these transactions to the court's impartiality. The prosecutors emphasized that the insinuations made were based on a series of assumptions rather than solid proof.

Last year, Merchan dismissed a motion to recuse based on his daughter's political work, stating that he was confident in his ability to be fair and impartial.

On Monday, Merchan extended his gag order that prohibited Trump from publicly commenting on witnesses and staff involved in the case to now also include his family. This decision came after Trump targeted the judge's daughter on Truth Social, prompting the district attorney to request the expansion of the order.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges relating to the hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and denies having an affair with Daniels.

Editor's P/S:

The ongoing legal battles surrounding Donald Trump's hush money trial, scheduled for April 15th, underscore the complexities and challenges of prosecuting a former president. Despite Trump's legal team's persistent efforts to delay the trial, the judge, Juan Merchan, has consistently denied their motions, indicating his determination to proceed with the case. While Trump's lawyers may continue to file motions, including his request for Merchan's recusal, it seems unlikely that Merchan will change his stance. The trial promises to be a significant moment in American history, showcasing the extent to which former presidents are held accountable for their actions.

Moreover, the trial highlights the ongoing debate about the role of the media in the judicial process. Trump's team has argued that negative news coverage could bias potential jurors, while prosecutors maintain that impartial jurors can be found during jury selection. The media's coverage of the trial will undoubtedly shape public perception of the case and its outcome. It is crucial for the media to report on the proceedings fairly and accurately, avoiding sensationalism and speculation that could undermine the integrity of the trial.