Judge denies to dismiss Trump's hush money case; trial to start March 25

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A New York judge refused to dismiss a case Thursday against former president Donald Trump related to a hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.

“We are moving ahead with March 25th,” said judge Juan Merchan, confirming that the trial will begin as scheduled on that date. He dismissed Trump's request to throw out the charges.

Trump, who attended the hearing in New York alongside his lawyers, will be the first former US president to face a criminal trial.

“This is not a crime,” Trump told reporters before entering the courtroom, as he called the trial “election interference.”

“This is being run by Joe Biden’s White House,” he said, “This is just a way of hurting me in the election.”

Trump faces prosecution on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments made to Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both have alleged extramarital affairs with Trump.

The payments were made during Trump's first White House run, which began in 2015.

Prosecutors have alleged that Trump attempted to conceal the payments by recording them as retainer fees to his former longtime attorney Michael Cohen. The fees, prosecutors allege, were reimbursements for Cohen for paying off the women over the course of a year.

Cohen, who has fallen out with Trump, testified before the grand jury that brought the charges, and is expected to be the prosecution's star witness.

Each count carries a punishment of up to four years behind bars if Trump is convicted.

His attorneys have dropped efforts to have the case moved to federal court.