Trump Receives Mixed Court Rulings: Relief in Fraud Case, Trial Date Set for Hush Money Case
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
A rollercoaster day for the twice-impeached and four-times indicted former President Donald Trump, delivered victories and setbacks in his various legal battles. While a state appeals court granted Trump and his co-defendants a temporary reprieve by reducing the bond they owed in a civil fraud case, another judge scheduled the trial date for the hush money case involving Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen.
The state appeals court decision, announced Monday, March 25, provided significant relief for Trump, reducing the bond he and his co-defendants were ordered to post in the New York civil fraud case from $464 million to $175 million. The panel of state Appellate Division judges, appointed by Democratic governors, granted Trump and his legal team 10 days to fulfill the obligation, delaying any immediate collection efforts by the state Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
Reacting to the decision, Trump expressed gratitude to the appellate division and promptly pledged to meet the reduced bond requirement. The ruling also placed a stay on specific aspects of the original judgment, including prohibitions on Trump and his associates serving as public officers of a company.
However, Monday brought less favorable news for Trump in another legal matter. Judge Juan Merchan, presiding over the hush money case, set the trial date for April 15, despite Trump’s legal team’s requests for a lengthy delay or dismissal of charges due to late evidence submission by prosecutors.
Trump’s attorneys argued that the late production of documents related to key witness Michael Cohen constituted prosecutorial misconduct and warranted a delay or dismissal. However, Judge Merchan rejected the arguments and blasted Trump’s team. Merchan said the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office was not responsible for the actions of federal prosecutors. Merchan’s decision to proceed with the trial next month comes after repeated delays, including one caused by the belated disclosure of evidence related to Cohen.
Throughout the proceedings, Trump maintained his defiance, labeling the trial as “election interference” and denouncing it as a witch hunt and hoax.
“We were not trying to obscure anything,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the judge.
