Former President Donald Trump slammed a New York criminal case against him as “election interference” on Thursday ahead of a judge’s refusal to dismiss the charges as Trump’s legal team had requested.
Trump appeared at a Manhattan courthouse before the hearing in his criminal case involving payments of alleged hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
“This is not a crime,” he told reporters. “What it is is election interference. It’s being run by Joe Biden’s White House.”
Additionally, the judge determined the trial would begin on March 25, in the middle of the primary season.
Judge Juan Merchan announced during the hearing, “At this point, I can inform you that we’re moving ahead to jury selection on March 25.”
“We strongly believe for a trial to start on March 25 is a great injustice,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche said of the scheduling.
The former president also criticized the trial’s timing during his prehearing remarks, noting that he should be in South Carolina, referencing the state’s primary in nine days.
“We want delays, obviously. I’m running for election,” Trump explained.
In a statement following the ruling, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, “We are pleased that the Court denied the defense’s motion to dismiss. We look forward to presenting our case in court on March 25, 2024.”
Trump’s lawyers had filed to dismiss his indictment in the New York case last year, arguing that the timing of the charges levied was interfering with his campaign and violating his due process rights.
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“The indictment was filed six years after the conduct at issue, more than 4 1/2 years after DANY began to investigate it, and more than three years after DANY started presenting evidence to a grand jury,” his attorneys said at the time.
The New York hearing is happening the same day as a hearing in Fulton County, Georgia, where Trump is also being criminally charged. A judge in Georgia listened Thursday to arguments during an evidentiary hearing regarding the possible disqualification of District Attorney Fani Willis over her alleged romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which they may have personally benefitted from.
