Donald Trump Gets Good and Bad Legal News; New York Fraud Bond Lowered But Hush Money Trial Date Not Delayed
Donald Trump has had a wild day. While he got what he wanted with a lowered bond and deadline extension for his New York fraud case, he did not get a delay for the porn star hush money trial, as it is still slated to go ahead next month.
According to CNN, the two rulings were made around an hour apart and in the same state, New York. Both cases challenged Trump's projected image as a rich billionaire and a conservative "family values" Republican.
Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the historic trial that would make Donald Trump the very first US president to criminally stand on trial will push through with jury selection on April 15 despite the Trump team's efforts to once again delay the already-delayed trial, which was supposed to have happened earlier this month.
Trump has been known for his "Delay Delay Delay" strategy as he tries to push all his trials back to after the November 2024 election when he will be running against President Joe Biden for the White House. He successfully pushed back the New York hush money trial previously because of the late production of documents but Judge Merchan placed his foot down on Trump's usual court antics.
However, for Trump personally, the bigger decision was when a New York appeals court allowed him to post a reduced bond worth $175 million instead of a much larger half-million he previously had to pay. The payment deadline has also been extended as the former president utters a huge sigh of relief as New York AG Letitia James would not be able to seize his properties just yet.
Donald Trump Has 10 Days To Get New York Fraud Case Bond
While he gets a lowered bond for the New York fraud ruling, this only means that his payment for the $454 million civil fraud judgment has only been delayed, and Trump still has to pay it if he cannot pay the $175 million lowered bond.
The former president now only has 10 days to find a bond company that would be willing to pay that lowered bond amount given that over 30 companies already rejected him as they would not accept real estate as collateral in case his appeal fails.
This also means that if he does not find a bond company willing to work with him in 10 days, AG James can finally ask a judge so that she can seize his properties. Trump has stated that he will be paying that lowered bond.
New York Judge Shoots Down Donald Trump Attorneys' Argument Over Hush Money Case
Meanwhile, over at the porn star hush money case, Trump attorneys tried to once again delay the case, accusing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office of intentionally failing to pursue evidence from the 2018 federal investigation. However, Judge Juan Merchan shot this argument down.
The judge told the defense that the DA's office did not have the duty to collect evidence from the federal investigation, nor was the US attorney's office required to provide these documents. The judge also noted that this was a "far cry" from the Trump team's claims that the prosecutors were "injecting themselves in the process and vehemently trying to obstruct your ability to get evidence."
READ MORE: Donald Trump's Own Vice President, Mike Pence, Will Not Endorse Him
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: 'Full speed ahead': Judge denies more delays, Trump hush money trial to start April 15 - MSNBC
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