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New York Judge Juan Merchan on Thursday rejected Donald Trump's request to dismiss the indictment against him in connection with paying a porn star to remain silent, clearing the way for the criminal trial of a former US president for the first time. seen in history.
Merchan set March 25 as the start date for the case — which is one of four criminal charges Trump is facing as he battles to win the Republican presidential nomination to challenge the Democratic president. Joe Biden, in the November 5 election.
Trump, 77, had asked Merchan to dismiss the 34-page indictment, which accuses him of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 payment he made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. .
But it took Merchan less than 10 minutes to throw out his request and confirm March 25 as the start date for his trial. After the hearing, Trump repeated his claims that this case is politically motivated.
"They wouldn't have brought this case except for the fact that I'm running for president and I'm succeeding," Trump said in the courtroom hallway.
The indictment concerns allegations that payments were made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence Stormy Daniels' allegations that Trump had an extramarital affair with her.
Trump has denied the accusations. Each charge is punishable by up to four years in prison, although it is unclear whether Trump would face prison time.
The charges are related to a series of checks written to his lawyer, Michael Cohen, to reimburse him for his role in communications with porn star Daniels.
Daniels claimed to have had sex with Trump in 2006, not long after Melania Trump gave birth to their son, Barron.
Those payments were recorded in various internal company documents, and prosecutors have accused Trump of falsifying the businesses' financial statements. This trial will begin before three other criminal cases that Trump is facing.
Three indictments have also been filed against Trump, in which he is accused in Georgia and Washington of trying to undo his loss in the 2020 elections. In Florida, of illegally keeping classified documents.
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