Trump Requests Postponement of New York Hush Money Trial Pending Supreme Court's Presidential Immunity Decision

Attorneys representing Donald Trump are requesting a postponement of his upcoming New York criminal trial. They are seeking to delay the trial until the US Supreme Court makes a decision on presidential immunity. This ruling is not expected until late June.

The criminal trial, which involves hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign, is currently set to commence with jury selection on March 25.

Trump prefers to delay the trial until after the Supreme Court makes a decision on immunity. The justices are set to hear the case on April 25, with a final ruling expected towards the end of the court's term in late June or early July.

In a motion presented to New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, President Trump requests an adjournment of the trial to await further guidance from the Supreme Court. This, he believes, will help in applying the doctrine of presidential immunity to the evidence that the People plan to present at trial.

Trump is facing his first criminal trial, charged with falsifying business records related to payments made to his former attorney, Michael Cohen. These payments were for hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who alleged an affair with Trump before the 2016 election. Trump denies the charges and the affair.

Trump's attorneys claim that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office wants to use public statements and tweets from 2018 as evidence in the trial. However, they have not provided enough information to Trump's defense team about how they plan to use this evidence.

Trump's legal team is arguing for presidential immunity, claiming that statements made by Trump regarding Daniels and payments to Cohen should be excluded because he was acting in his official capacity as president.

In addition, Trump's lawyers have asked for an evidentiary hearing to be held by Merchan after the US Supreme Court makes a ruling on presidential immunity. This hearing would determine which evidence of Trump's "official acts" should be excluded based on presidential immunity.

Trump's motion suggests that the trial should be postponed until the Supreme Court makes a decision on Trump v. United States. The concept of presidential immunity is well-established, but the scope of the doctrine is still a matter of legal debate.

By waiting for the Supreme Court to address the issue, it is believed that the trial process will be smoother. This is especially important in addressing evidentiary issues raised by the People's motions in limine. The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on the case next month, making it a sensible decision to wait for their ruling before proceeding with the trial.

Editor's P/S:

The upcoming New York criminal trial against former President Trump has taken an interesting turn with his attorneys requesting a postponement until the Supreme Court rules on presidential immunity. Trump's defense team argues that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office intends to use public statements and tweets from 2018 as evidence, but has not provided sufficient information on how they will be used. They maintain that these statements should be excluded as Trump was acting in his official capacity as president.

The concept of presidential immunity is complex and has been debated for decades. While it is well-established that presidents have certain immunities from prosecution, the scope of this immunity is still unclear. By requesting a postponement, Trump's attorneys are hoping to gain clarity from the Supreme Court on this issue. This would potentially streamline the trial process and prevent unnecessary delays or evidentiary disputes. The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on the case next month, and their ruling will likely have a significant impact on the outcome of Trump's trial.