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A judge on Monday rejected a request by former President Donald Trump to block the testimony of his former lawyer Michael Cohen and porn star Stormy Daniels in his trial over allegations that Cohen gave him money on his behalf. actress Daniels in exchange for silence, before the 2016 election.
Last month Mr Trump asked Judge Juan Merchan to block their testimony, arguing that Cohen lied repeatedly that he was likely to lie in his testimony, and that Daniels - whose real name is Stephanie Clifford - would tried to use the court process to profit from the spotlight on him.
In his rejection of former President Trump's request for his former lawyer Cohen, Judge Merchan reasoned that he was unaware of any legal basis to exclude a prosecution witness because of questions about his credibility.
The Republican presidential candidate has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges that he falsified business records to conceal the fact that he had reimbursed former lawyer Cohen for the amount he paid Ms. Daniels in exchange for her silence about an intimate relationship she says she had with Mr. Trump in 2006. Former President Trump denies such a relationship.
A trial in the case was originally set for March 25, but was postponed last week until at least mid-April due to a last-minute dispute.
Judge Merchan is expected to set a new trial date after a March 25 court hearing. A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought charges against Mr. Trump last year, declined to comment. Even the former president's lawyers refused to comment.
The case is one of four criminal charges facing Mr. Trump as he is expected to face Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In a victory for Mr. Trump, Judge Merchan said prosecutors could question witnesses in the New York case about an "Access Hollywood" video in which he was heard speaking inappropriately about women, but agreed to the reasoning. of the former president that showing that video to the jury could cause "undue prejudice" against him. /VOA
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