Donald Trump asset seizure paused, appeals court cuts cost of bond
Had news of that affair erupted at the time, it could have derailed Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton, particularly after he was caught on tape bragging about grabbing women by their genitals.
Trump had sought to delay the hush money trial as he campaigns for a second term in office against Joe Biden, after new evidence was discovered by prosecutors.
Trump’s criminal case relates to alleged hush-money paid to Stormy Daniels and others, plus charges of falsifying business documents.Credit: AP
However, Judge Juan Merchan dismissed this attempt and set a start date of April 15 – making it the first criminal trial he could face this year.
“We very much believe that starting this trial in April, or even starting this trial at any point before the election is completely unfair to President Trump and is completely unfair to the American people who are evaluating who they want to be the next president,” said Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche.
Trump is also seeking to delay three other looming trials: one in Washington DC for trying to subvert the 2020 election, one in Florida for mishandling of classified documents, and one in Georgia for interfering in the election in that state.
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The civil fraud trial in New York, however, is the one that Trump has been most invested in because it undercuts the reputation he has spent years crafting, personally, and politically, as a billionaire businessman.
It came to ahead last month after Judge Arthur Engeron ordered Trump to pay more than $US355 million — with interest. The judge also barred him from running a business in New York for three years, while his sons Eric and Donald jnr were barred for two years.
Trump, however, had insisted that he never committed fraud and that there was no crime because the banks made money on his investments.
He also had been unable to secure the full $464 bond, having been refused by 30 companies who would not accept commercial real estate as collateral.
Despite his many legal woes, the former president has been able to leverage them to fundraise for his election campaign, painting himself as the victim of a political witch hunt orchestrated by Democrats.
Asked if a conviction could cost him the November 5 e lection, Trump replied: “It could also make me more popular because people know it’s a scam.”
However, James Singer, a spokesman for the Biden-Harris campaign, said Trump was “weak and desperate – both as a man and a candidate for President.”
“His campaign can’t raise money, he is uninterested in campaigning outside his country club, and every time he opens his mouth, he pushes moderate and suburban voters away with his dangerous agenda,” he said.
