Devika Sreejith
Former US President Donald Trump to attend hearings on the hush money case against him, set to begin on 25th March.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg brought the first criminal indictment against a former president when he unveiled 34 felony charges against Trump last March.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records to conceal “hush money” payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Bragg claimed that Trump falsified the charges to “conceal crimes that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election.”
Daniels claimed that she and Trump had sex at a golf tournament in 2006. She says that ten years later, Trump’s personal attorney Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 to stay silent about the alleged incident. The wire transfer of the payment came 12 days before the 2016 election, which Trump won.
Trump pleaded “not guilty” on all counts.
A New York judge denied Donald Trump's request to dismiss criminal charges related to a "hush money" payment and said jury selection would proceed March 25, in a blow to Trump's efforts to delay what will be the first trial of any former U.S. president. https://t.co/bToT31sf5U pic.twitter.com/BtgElpAJn0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 15, 2024
At a pre-trial hearing on 15th February, Judge Juan Merchan dismissed Trump’s bid to dismiss the case on grounds that Bragg was politically motivated.
Judge Merchan said that the case would proceed to jury selection on 25th March.
Trump called the ruling “a disgrace.” In an address at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Trump accused Merchan of bias, calling him a “Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating wife and family.”
How Could This Affect The 2024 US Elections?
Donald Trump is the first US President to face criminal charges. This case is one of four criminal cases against him that are approaching trial, as he prepares his presidential bid.
The most likely outcome if Trump is found guilty will be a fine of up to $5,000. There is a chance for imprisonment — the maximum time for such a felony in New York is four years.
If he is found guilty on all counts, Trump could face a fine of up to $170,000 and 136 years in prison. However, since he is a first-time offender, he is unlikely to face prison time.
Trump’s political opponent and the Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, called the indictment “un-American.”
The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head.
It is un-American.
The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is…
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 30, 2023
Following his wins in the Iowa and New Hampshire GOP primaries, Trump is the current frontrunner for Republican presidential candidate. However, upcoming hearings could divert from his election campaign.
He says that he plans to be in court during the day and campaign “during the night.”
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Featured image courtesy of Gage Skidmore via Flickr. No changes were made to this photo. License available here.
Devika Sreejith
Graduated with an MA in Communication and Media from the University of Leeds. Passionate about storytelling and journalism, LOVE movies, shows, and books, and happy to learn about pretty much anything!