Judge overseeing Trump's New York hush money case open to trial delay
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's criminal prosecution involving hush money paid to porn actress Stormy Daniels signaled he is open to moving the trial, currently scheduled for March, due to "the many recent developments involving Mr. Trump."
Judge Juan Merchan, in a letter to defense attorney Todd Blanche, said he would consider whether it makes sense to move the trial during a hearing in February.
Merchan said he would no longer hold a conference to discuss the schedule next week.
"In light of the many recent developments involving Mr. Trump and his rapidly evolving trial schedule, I do not believe it would be fruitful for us to conference this case on September 15 to discuss scheduling," Merchan wrote.
A federal judge in Washington set a March trial date in the special counsel's case involving classified material at Trump's Palm Beach estate. Merchan said it made more sense to discuss scheduling for the New York case in February when he said "We will have a much better sense at that time whether there are any actual conflicts."
Trump has pleaded not guilty in New York to nearly three dozen felony counts of falsifying business records related to the $130,000 hush payment to Stormy Daniels in the closing moments of the 2016 presidential campaign.
The trial is among six criminal and civil trials Trump faces in the coming months, beginning in October with the civil fraud case by the New York attorney general over the way Trump valued his real estate holdings.
Meanwhile, in the federal election interference case, Trump has asked the judge to recuse herself because of past statements in cases involving Jan. 6.
And in the Georgia election interference case, Trump has asked a court to dismiss several criminal charges against him.
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