A New York appeals court judge rejected former President Donald Trump’s latest attempt to delay his upcoming Manhattan criminal trial, allowing jury selection to proceed next week.
Justice Cynthia Kern’s decision marks another setback for Trump, who has repeatedly sought to postpone the trial. Trump’s lawyers had requested a delay until a full panel of appellate court judges could hear arguments regarding a gag order prohibiting him from publicly discussing individuals involved in the case, including jurors and witnesses.
Donald J Trump (Credits: Reuters)
Trump’s legal team argues that the gag order violates his First Amendment rights, mainly as he campaigns for president and faces criminal charges. However, the trial judge, Juan M. Merchan, issued the gag order last month at the request of Manhattan prosecutors, citing Trump’s history of making inflammatory remarks about individuals involved in his legal matters.
The expanded gag order, which now includes restrictions on comments about the judge’s family, was implemented after Trump criticized Merchan’s daughter, who is a Democratic political consultant, on social media.
Donald J. Trump (Credits: CNN)
Despite Trump’s challenges, the trial is set to proceed, with allegations that he falsified his company’s records to conceal payments to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who assisted in suppressing negative stories during the 2016 campaign. Cohen’s activities also included payments to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claims of an extramarital encounter with Trump.
Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly attempted to delay the trial, citing various reasons, including alleged bias from the judge and conflicts of interest. However, the courts have consistently rejected these arguments, affirming the trial’s scheduled start date.
The legal battles surrounding Trump’s criminal case underscore the complication of directing the intersection of presidential politics and the judicial system.
