Former President Donald Trump has filed an eleventh-hour bid to reverse his gag order and move his trial on charges of falsifying business records out of Manhattan. The appeal, filed with a New York appeals court, challenges the pretrial rulings made by Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan.
Trump’s lawyers filed documents challenging Merchan’s rulings, including the gag order that was recently expanded to prohibit comments about the judge’s family.
Trump (Credits: The Hill)
They also expressed the desire to move the trial out of heavily Democrat Manhattan. The former president had previously pledged to appeal after Merchan ruled that the trial would begin on April 15, rejecting requests for further delays.
The trial is related to accusations that Trump falsified his company’s records to conceal payments to his former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, who assisted in suppressing negative stories during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has denied allegations of an extramarital encounter with Stormy Daniels. His legal team argues that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.
Former President Donald Trump (Credits: BBC)
Trump’s latest move is part of an ongoing battle with Merchan, whom he has criticized on social media and accused of bias. Trump has also requested that Merchan step aside from the case due to his daughter’s work connections, but the judge has rejected similar requests in the past.
In addition to seeking a reversal of the gag order and a change of venue for the trial, Trump has made multiple attempts to delay the proceedings. Merchan has rejected requests for postponement, including one based on Trump’s assertion of presidential immunity claims. Another defense delay request, citing “prejudicial media coverage,” is still pending.
Trump has suggested on social media that the trial should be moved to Staten Island, the only New York City borough he won in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
