Posted on 02/15/24
| News Source: FOX News
A New York City judge denied former President Trump's request to dismiss charges stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into hush-money payments ahead of the 2016 presidential election and formally announced the trial will begin next month.
The trial is now scheduled to begin with jury selection on March 25, and Judge Juan Merchan said the trial is expected to last 6 weeks.
Trump appeared in a New York City courtroom Thursday morning for a hearing.
Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in April. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Trump and his attorneys sought to have the case dismissed altogether, but Judge Merchan on Thursday denied the request.
Before entering court, Trump blasted Bragg for rising crime in New York City, and the case.
"I'm here for something, it's not a crime, it's election interference and it's being run by Joe Biden's White House," Trump said, calling it a "terrible time for our country. A real dark period."
He added: "This is just a way of hurting me and the election because I'm leading by a lot…If I hadn't run, they would have been extremely happy."
Trump said he should be out campaigning, instead of in court, ahead of the South Carolina primary on Feb. 24.