Trump has arrived at the Manhattan #criminal courthouse, where a jury will be picked to determine whether he broke state #law by falsifying business records when he reimbursed his lawyer for a hush money payment to keep an adult-film actress quiet about an alleged sexual tryst.
Judge #Merchan responded to the #Trump’s team’s request for a clarification of the trial schedule by reaffirming his commitment to adjourn court proceedings early during the Passover holiday in late April. Merchan said he would cut the trial testimony short in early afternoon on April 22, April 23 & April 30 to allow Jewish members of the defense team and prospective Jewish jurors to undertake religious observances. And the court will not be in session April 29, the judge said.
On another #Trump motion, #Merchan said he could not rule on the request that court not be in session May 17 so Trump could attend his son Barron’s HS graduation, or on June 3 so a defense atty can attend his own son’s grad. Merchan said if the trial was proceeding on pace, he could probably grant the requests, but if it is behind schedule, he could not.
The trial, expected to last 6-8 wks, is scheduled to take place on all weekdays other than Wednesdays, when Merchan deals w/other court issues.
NBC News has obtained a list of likely witnesses in the New York #criminal trial of Donald Trump. Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, Hope Hicks, David Pecker & Michael Cohen are among those who may testify.
Judd Legum and Rebecca Crosby explain why Trump is so eager to stop his trial that begins on Monday:
"This case is about how Trump used illegal means to hide the truth from the American people in order to increase his chances of victory in the 2016 presidential election."
1 wk before Trump’s#criminal trial in Manhattan, appeals court judge rejected effort to pause the case & move it to a diff location.
Judge #LizbethGonzalez issued the decision Mon afternoon after hearing arguments from Trump’s lawyers & lawyers from the Manhattan DA #AlvinBragg’s office.
Trump attys argued the judge’s daughter works for a marketing firm that benefits from politically targeting Trump because it works for some Democrats—making the exact same argument that failed before.
With his first #criminal trial set to start in 10 days, #Trump seems to be testing a way around the gag order by putting his public criticism of the daughter of Judge #Merchan into the #public court filings themselves, & then #promoting the filings.
State Supreme Court judge blocked #Trump’s attempt to gain access to #NBC’s documentary material related to adult film actress #StormyDaniels.
Manhattan Judge Juan #Merchan said Trump atty’s subpoena was “far too broad” & did not meet the #legal standard to compel #NBCUniversal to turn over docs & other items related to the documentary “Stormy.”
“In the instant matter, the Defendant seeks ‘all’ documents, including but not limited to vague & overbroad requests,” #Merchan wrote in the ruling issued Friday.
#McAfee: “Even core #PoliticalSpeech addressing matters of public concern is not impenetrable from prosecution if allegedly used to further #criminal activity."
"The State has alleged more than mere expressions of a #political nature. Rather, the #indictment charges the Defendants w/knowingly & willfully making false statements to public officers & knowingly & willfully filing documents containing false stmnts & misrepresentations within the jurisdiction of state depts & agencies.”
#McAfee also wrote that he was unble to find "any authority that the speech & conduct alleged is #protected#political speech."
The protection afforded specifically by the Petition Clause of the #FirstAmendment -which allows the ability to communicate w/govt ofcls- "does not extend to allegedly #fraudulent petitions.”
"In other words, the #law does not insulate speech allegedly made during fraudulent or #criminal conduct from prosecution under the guise of petitioning the govt," he wrote. #Trump
NY #Justice Juan #Merchan on Wednesday denied Trump's bid to #delay his April 15 trial on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star until #SCOTUS reviews his claim to presidential #immunity in a separate criminal case.
The ruling Wednesday by Judge Juan #Merchan clears the way for the first of 4 pending #criminal prosecutions against #Trump to go before a #jury, even though #SCOTUS has yet to rule on his [BS] #immunity claim in a separate federal case in Washington over #Jan6, #FakeElectors & other acts of #ElectionInterference. Jury selection in Manhattan starts April 15.
In court papers made public on Wednesday, prosecutors argued the April 15 trial date should go ahead as planned, noting it was Trump’s 8th bid to postpone the schedule as part of his broader #legal strategy to delay all 4 of his criminal trials beyond the Nov #election.
DA Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo wrote that the national attention surrounding the case isn’t likely to subside & #Trump “deliberately generates press attention himself.”
“Defendant simply cannot have it both ways: complaining about the prejudicial effect of pretrial #publicity, while seeking to pollute the #jury pool himself by making baseless & inflammatory accusations about this #trial, specific #witnesses, individual #prosecutors, & the Court itself,” Colangelo wrote.
Prosecutors’ new filing states #Trump’s #delay motion was littered w/ inaccuracies & matters already rejected by the judge. They also expressed doubts about the reliability of the data from Trump’s team.
“None of the new information presented by defendant supports his request for an adjournment; indeed, much of the new data actually confirms that this Court will be able to find 12 #impartial#jurors (& alternates) in Manhattan,” Colangelo wrote.
#GagOrder Against #Trump Is Expanded to Stop Attacks on Judge’s Family
Donald Trump had in recent days targeted the daughter of Juan #Merchan, the judge overseeing his #criminal trial in Manhattan, in blistering social media posts.
In the expanded order, Justice #Merchan recognized #Trump's "constitutional right to speak to the American voters freely, & to defend himself publicly," & clarified that the initial #GagOrder did not include members of his or #AlvinBragg's family, but wrote Trump’s attacks on family members serve no purpose but to inject fear.