In the middle of the electoral campaign for the billionaire donald trump return to the White House, it was confirmed that his criminal trial begins on March 25, in the case of payments to buy the silence of a porn actress.
”There are many aspects to consider” said the judge in the case, Juan Merchan, when rejecting requests from the defense of the 77-year-old Republican billionaire to postpone the start of the trial, which will begin with jury selection starting on March 25.
Donald Trump will be the first former US president to face a criminal trial.
The case “would never have been filed” if I were not “running” for president, Trump declared on his social network Truth Social prior to the hearing in Manhattan District Court, which he arrived shortly before 9:00 a.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT).
So far, the numerous court cases facing the former president – with 91 criminal charges weighing – have not undermined his popularity, and polls show him as the favorite in a possible duel against current president Joe Biden in November.
Payments to Stormy Daniels
The mogul is accused of 34 counts related to the payment, in 2016, of $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, to keep her silent about an alleged extramarital affair dating back to 2006 and that the politician has always denied.
The payments themselves are not illegal, but Trump recorded them as “legal fees” in the accounts of his company, the Trump Organization.
Likewise, according to court documents, the magnate bought the silence of third parties at least two more times. He paid $30,000 to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have information about the magnate’s son from an extramarital affair, and another $150,000 to a woman who claimed to have an affair with the former president.
Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on April 4 of last year and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” to prevent him from returning to the White House.
The billionaire has not spared criticism of Judge Merchan, who already filed another case in 2022 against the family business for tax fraud.
“He hates me,” he said on his Truth Social platform.
Experts do not believe that it will be easy for the prosecution to prove the accusations against the former president, so it is uncertain whether he could be sentenced to prison.
Another process
His lawyers will also represent him this Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia, where Trump was accused of conspiring to interfere in the 2020 election in which he was defeated by Biden.
The hearing seeks to disqualify prosecutor Fani Willis for an alleged relationship with another prosecutor, and to dismiss the charges against the former president.
The announcement of the fine to be imposed by Judge Arthur F. Engoron, who investigated another case for tax fraud, is scheduled for Friday, and which could rise to 370 million dollars as claimed by the prosecution, which would be added to the more than 80 million who has recently been sentenced to pay for defaming a writer who accused him of raping her in the 90s.
And Trump faces another possible trial in Washington. This process in federal justice was to begin on March 4 but was reported until the former president’s eventual criminal immunity was evaluated in this case in which he is accused of conspiracy to reverse the results of the election in 2020.
Source: Gestion
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