Donald Trump’s expressed frustration on Tuesday when a judge set his criminal trial for March 25, placing him in a Manhattan courtroom during the upcoming presidential primary season.
During a video conference pretrial hearing in the hush-money case, Trump was advised by Judge Juan Manuel Merchan to clear his schedule for the trial, which may last several weeks.
Donald Trump’s Public Discourse On The Cases
Dressed in a blue suit at his Florida estate, Trump engaged in a private discussion with his lawyer before sitting with folded arms for the rest of the hearing.
Trump entered a not-guilty plea to 34 felonies last month related to the Trump Organization, his family corporation, allegedly manipulating financial documents. He has made this New York case, along with other investigations he faces, a central focus of his campaign, presenting himself as a victim of a coordinated effort to undermine his chances.
Trump frequently discusses these cases at his rallies and has openly criticized prosecutors and judges involved. Judge Merchan went over a restraining order preventing Trump from discussing specific prosecution-provided evidence in public during the hearing.
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Protective Order On Evidence Dissemination
Instead of appearing in person at the courthouse, Trump attended by video conference with his visage shown on courtroom TV displays to avoid security and logistical issues.
In accordance with Judge Merchan’s order, Trump is permitted to publicly discuss the criminal case. However, he faces the possibility of being held in contempt if he utilizes evidence obtained during the pretrial discovery phase to target witnesses or individuals connected to the case.
Trump is facing 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records tied to payments made by his company to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
Prosecutors claim these payments were intended to reimburse Cohen for arranging hush money payments during the 2016 campaign to conceal allegations of extramarital encounters. Trump denies engaging in such encounters and asserts that the prosecution is politically motivated.
Under Merchan’s protective order, Trump and his lawyers are prohibited from sharing evidence with third parties or posting it on social media. Certain sensitive material provided by prosecutors must be kept exclusively by Trump’s legal team.
Prosecutors sought this order due to Trump’s history of making harassing, embarrassing, and threatening statements about individuals involved in legal disputes.
Judge Merchan emphasized that the protective order should not be seen as a gag order and acknowledged Trump’s special status as a former president and current candidate, affirming his right to publicly defend himself.
Meanwhile, Trump’s lawyers are working to have his criminal case transferred to federal court, but the proceedings will continue in state court until a decision is made.
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