The first criminal trial against a former president in U.S. history will begin on March 25 with jury selection in the Manhattan district attorney’s case against Donald Trump, a New York judge ruled Thursday, denying Trump’s bid to dismiss the charges against him. Trump attended a pretrial hearing Thursday in the case, which involves the circumstances surrounding a payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016. A grand jury voted to indict Trump on March 30, 2023, charging him with 34 felony counts of falsification of business records. Trump has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty. He has repeatedly accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of pursuing the case for political gain. Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the charges at the beginning of the hearing. “At this point I can inform you that we’re moving ahead with jury selection on March 25,” he told the court. He later said he expected the trial to last about six weeks. Speaking outside the courtroom before the hearing got underway, Trump said the case represented a “great double standard” and “election interference.” He acknowledged he was trying to delay the beginning of the trial, and said the proceedings were taking him off the campaign trail. “We want delays, obviously, I’m running for election,” he said. “How can you run for election when you’re sitting in a courthouse in Manhattan all day long? I’m supposed to be in South Carolina right now.”
via cbsnews: Trump’s first criminal trial set to begin March 25 as judge denies bid to dismiss “hush money” case
