Former President Donald Trump will be in court as a New York judge sets a new trial date for his hush money case on Monday — the same day a $464 million bond is due to stave off a civil judgment against him.
Mr. Trump said he shouldn’t have to face either case.
“The D.A. Case, that I am going to today, should be dismissed. No crime. Our Country is CORRUPT,” he posted on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in the criminal case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Prosecutors allege Mr. Trump falsified records to cover up hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and two others in 2016. Roughly $130,000 in hush payments were funneled through Mr. Trump‘s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, and disguised as legal fees, the indictment alleges.
Ms. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, alleges she had a sexual encounter with Mr. Trump years earlier, though the ex-president denies her claim. Mr. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges and says the case is part of a Democratic plot to thwart his campaign.
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“This is a witch hunt, this is a hoax. Thank you,” Mr. Trump said as he arrived at the Manhattan courthouse.
Judge Juan Merchan of the New York State Supreme Court delayed the trial from late March until at least mid-April after Mr. Trump‘s lawyers said that prosecutors failed to hand over thousands of pages of evidence they received from federal counterparts.
The judge on Monday will scrutinize the late production of evidence and when to start the trial.
The defense said the tardy handover of documents, many of which focus on Mr. Cohen and his credibility, was so egregious that it warrants dismissal of the case.
Prosecutors said the papers did not make a material difference, so the trial should proceed.
Mr. Trump faces a more immediate test Monday — posting a bond to stave off collection of the massive civil judgment against him while he appeals a decision by Judge Arthur Engoron of the Manhattan Supreme Court.
Judge Engoron in February ruled that Mr. Trump and his real estate company submitted fraudulent financial statements to gain favorable terms on loans and insurance.
Mr. Trump says it is impossible for him to secure a bond of roughly a half-billion dollars and that New York Attorney General Letitia James might seize his prized properties.
“There should be no FINE. Did nothing wrong! Why should I be forced to sell my ‘babies’ because a CORRUPT NEW YORK JUDGE & A.G. SET A FAKE AND RIDICULOUS NUMBER,” he said on his social media platform.
Mr. Trump in recent days has suggested he has enough cash to satisfy the bond. He says he wanted to use the cash for his presidential campaign.