Trump indicted on 'hush money' charges!

The first hearing of the case regarding the 'hush money' payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election—one of four criminal cases filed against former US President Donald Trump—will begin with jury selection on April 15. During today's hearing, Judge Juan Merchan rejected Trump's requests to dismiss or delay the case, stating, "In the meantime, the scheduled trial date is April 15."

ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

Describing the case as a "voter intimidation and election interference case," Trump said, "This was a case that could have been brought three and a half years ago, and they decided to start it right in the middle of the election. So I can't campaign."
Trump argued that the case should not have been brought months before the presidential election, stating, "You have a case that they are dying to start. The judge couldn't move faster. He wants it to start so badly." He added, "I have no problem testifying. I didn't do anything wrong." Trump further remarked, "I don't know if the trial will take place. I don't know how you can have such a trial in the middle of an election, a presidential election."

When asked if he was concerned that a conviction in the case might cause him to lose the presidential election in November, Trump said, "It could also make me more popular. Because people know it's a scam. This is a Biden case."
The trial in this case will begin one year after the charges were brought against Trump. As the first of Trump's four criminal cases, it is expected to be the only one likely to take place before the presidential election.

Adult film actress Daniels had stated that she signed an agreement in 2016 in exchange for a $130,000 payment to remain silent about her relationship with Trump. Daniels had argued that the agreement was invalid because it was not signed by Trump. Trump, however, denied Daniels' allegations. Nevertheless, Michael Cohen, who served as Trump's lawyer before the 2016 election campaign, confirmed that he had made a $130,000 payment to Daniels on Trump's behalf from his own account. Cohen later claimed that he was reimbursed approximately $420,000, including bonuses, by Trump's companies. Cohen was taken into custody on charges of "tax evasion" and "lying to Congress" during the investigation into Trump's election campaign; he pleaded guilty to 9 federal charges, including campaign finance violations, and was sentenced to 3 years in prison in December 2018.
Trump appeared in court on April 4 last year as part of the case in which he is accused of falsifying business records to cover up the payment, and after hearing the charges against him at the hearing, he pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts.