Former President Donald Trump appeared in a New York City virtual court hearing Tuesday, where a judge said Trump will go on trial March 25, 2024 — months before the 2024 presidential election — after he pleaded not guilty in April to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a 2016 hush money payment.
Trump, who announced in November he’s running for the White House in 2024, has been prohibited from sharing any evidence turned over by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office during pre-trial discovery on social media while the case is ongoing.
NEW YORK JURY FINDS DONALD TRUMP SEXUALLY ABUSED E JEAN CARROLL IN CIVIL SUIT
Former President Donald Trump and his attorney, Todd Blanche, appeared in a virtual Manhattan criminal court hearing Tuesday. (Reuters)
New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan imposed the protective order May 8, but stopped short of imposing a gag order. Prosecutors requested the order after Trump criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Merchan and others.
Trump can speak publicly about the case but can be held in contempt if he uses evidence turned over by prosecutors to target witnesses and anyone else involved in the case.
On Tuesday, he appeared virtually on two big screens next to his attorney, Todd Blanche. During the hearing, Merchan asked Trump if he has a copy of the protective order.
“Yes, I do,” Trump replied.
Mechan then asked Blanche if he has explained to Trump that it constitutes a “mandate order” and warned that “violations could result in sanctions,” that “could include a finding of contempt.”
Former President Donald Trump and his attorney, Todd Blanche, appeared in a virtual Manhattan criminal court hearing Tuesday. (Reuters)
Blanche said Trump has no issues with the protective order, but is concerned that it can be used to silence him amid his campaign in the 2024 presidential race.
“He is very much concerned that his First Amendment rights are being violated in the protective order,” Blanche told Merchan.
The judge reiterated that “certainly, it is not a gag order” and it is not his intention to impede Trump to campaign so long as he does not violate the rules of the protective order.
“He is free to do just about anything that doesn’t violate the specific terms of this protective order,” he said.
After setting the trial date, the judge warned all parties to not enter into any commitments, personal or professional, that would conflict with the completion of the legal proceedings. In addition, Aug. 29 was set for any new defense notion and Oct. 10 for prosecution responses.
Merchan set Jan. 4, 2024, for his decision on the motions.
Trump is accused of concealing reimbursement payments made to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, after Cohen paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels.
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Trump also faces a defamation lawsuit filed by E. Jean Carroll, who alleges he raped her at the Bergdorf Goodman department store across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan sometime in 1996.
A federal jury in New York decided Tuesday that Trump was not liable for rape but was liable for sexual abuse and defamation. He has been ordered to pay $5 million.
