In a day of significant legal developments, former President Donald Trump was granted a reduced bond by a New York appeals court and received a trial date for the first criminal trial of a former president in US history. These rulings, delivered within an hour of each other, underscore the ongoing legal challenges facing Trump and his business empire as he contemplates a second term in the White House.
Trump’s Hush Money Trial Set for April 15
Judge Juan Merchan confirmed that jury selection for Trump’s criminal trial in the New York hush money case will commence on April 15. The case, brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, charges Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to reimbursements to Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, for hush money payments made before the 2016 election to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Trump has pleaded not guilty and denied the affair.
Appeals Court Reduces Trump’s Bond
In a significant ruling, the appeals court allowed Trump to post a reduced bond of $175 million to appeal the $464 million civil fraud judgment against him, his adult sons, and his company. Trump, who faced a Monday deadline to post bond or risk property seizure by New York Attorney General Letitia James, has been given an additional 10 days to post the bond. Trump confirmed he would cover the bond using cash as collateral.
Trump Reacts to Legal Developments
Trump expressed his views on the day’s developments, stating it would be his “honor” to post the bond and criticizing the plan to start his criminal trial next month. Trump’s legal team continues to seek delays for all four of his criminal trials to push them past the election.
Judge Dismisses Allegations Against District Attorney
During Monday’s hearing, Judge Merchan dismissed allegations of misconduct against the district attorney’s office, finding that prosecutors had made a “diligent, good-faith effort” to obtain all available discoverable information from federal prosecutors. Trump’s legal team continues to seek ways to delay the start of the trial, citing pretrial publicity and proximity to the 2024 election.