Trump’s criminal trial begins next March, with the campaign in full swing

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Judge limits Trump’s ability to publicly discuss evidenceTrump denies ‘ELECTION INTELLIGENCE’Judge says restrictions won’t hamper campaign

May 23 (Reuters) – Donald Trump will face a criminal trial in New York on March 25, 2024, a judge said on Tuesday, meaning the former US President will be tried because of his campaign for the 2024 Republican nomination is in full swing.

Trump, who has been charged with falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to a porn star, is expected to crisscross the country next spring with his rivals as the host of presidential nominating states contests.

Justice Juan Merchan in Manhattan state court announced the date at a hearing where Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2024 and the first former US president to be criminally indicted, appeared from as far away as Florida.

Merchan also advised Trump of restrictions on his ability to publicly discuss some evidence provided by prosecutors.

At least four screens in Merchan’s courtroom showed Trump and his attorney Todd Blanche sitting in front of US flags.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts. In a post on his Truth Social platform after the hearing, Trump said his free speech rights had been violated.

“They forced us on a trial date of March 25th, right in the middle of the Primary season,” Trump wrote in the post. “This is called ELECTION INTERFERENCE.”

New York prosecutors said Trump sought to conceal reimbursements to his then-lawyer Michael Cohen for $130,000 in payments to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. Cohen said he paid her in exchange for her silence before the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump, which Trump denied.

[1/5] Former US President Donald Trump appeared via video conferencing before Justice Juan Merchan at a hearing regarding the criminal case against him for hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Manhattan state court in New York City. , US May 23, 2023. Curtis Means /Pool via REUTERS

The reimbursements concealed violations of New York election law and violations of campaign contribution limits under federal election law, according to prosecutors.

JUDGE SAYS PRESSURES DO NOT HARM TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN

During the hearing, Trump spoke only to tell the court that he had a copy of the May 8 order restricting him from disclosing certain evidence to third parties, including news outlets and on social media.

Blanche said Trump was concerned the order violated his First Amendment rights to free speech. But he said he told his client that Merchan did not intend to restrict his speech and that the restriction was not a gag order, which would prevent him from speaking publicly about the case.

Merchan said he did not intend to restrict Trump’s ability to campaign, and that Trump is “certainly free to deny the charges, he’s free to defend himself against the charges.”

The judge said Tuesday that if Trump violates the restrictions, he could face contempt of court.

The Trump restrictions concern grand jury minutes, witness statements, and other material that prosecutors must turn over to the defense to prepare for trial.

Prosecutors said the order was needed because of Trump’s history of attacks on social media, and the risk that witnesses could be harassed.

Reporting by Karen Freifeld, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Luc Cohen

Thomson Reuters

Reports in the federal courts of New York. Previously worked as a correspondent in Venezuela and Argentina.

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