Former President Donald Trump’s Stormy Daniels ‘hush money’ criminal trial has been scheduled for March 25, 2024, right in the middle of campaign season.
Last month, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records concerning a payment to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign. Prosecutors allege that Trump orchestrated an illegal scheme to influence the presidential election by instructing his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, to pay Daniels, preventing her from disclosing an alleged affair with Trump. According to prosecutors, Trump reimbursed Cohen through monthly checks, which led to falsifying business records to conceal the true nature of the payments.
In a virtual appearance before Judge Juan Merchan, Trump, accompanied by his attorney Todd Blanche, expressed dissatisfaction as the trial date conflicted with the GOP primary calendar, potentially affecting his presidential aspirations.
Judge Merchan had previously made it clear that nothing conflicting with the trial should be scheduled by anyone involved, including campaign events that could prevent Trump from attending court proceedings.
The former president will be required to appear in a Manhattan courtroom for an extended period, spanning several weeks, during the crucial time of the Republican primaries and just months before the presidential election.
The trial date falls shortly after the ‘Super Tuesday’ primaries, scheduled for March 5, and a few days after Florida’s contest on March 19, where Trump will face off against Governor Ron DeSantis.
During the hearing, Judge Merchan outlined the terms of a protective order, prohibiting Trump from sharing any evidence received from the Manhattan District Attorney on social media. Prosecutors sought the order due to Trump’s previous criticisms of the judge, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and others involved in the case.
Trump’s attorney raised concerns about potential violations of his client’s First Amendment rights, emphasizing Trump’s active presidential campaign. In response, Judge Merchan clarified that the protective order did not restrict Trump’s ability to campaign as long as he abided by its terms.