Judge rejects Trump bid for trial delay over claims case has attracted too much publicity

Judge Juan Merchan on Friday rejected a last-minute bid from former President Donald Trump to delay his trial in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution of him for allegedly falsifying business records.

Bragg has charged Trump on 34 counts over a 2016 payment his then-attorney, Michael Cohen, made to Stormy Daniels. He has pleaded not guilty and contended that the case is part of broader political witch hunt designed to derail his 2024 White House bid.

Trump's attorneys had sought the delay arguing that the trial had received too much publicity which could compromise the selection of an impartial jury, the Associated Press reported.

Trump "appears to take the position that his situation and this case are unique and that the pre-trial publicity will never subside," Merchan wrote. "However, this view does not align with reality."

The decision follows a flurry of bids for delay by Trump's legal team ahead of the April 15 trial date. Prior to this request, Trump had thrice sought delay of the trial during this week alone on myriad grounds. Friday's decision marked the fourth rejection.

The former president has twice sought Merchan's recusal from the case, doing so for the second time this month and highlighting his daughter's employment with a left-wing organization.

"The Court’s interest in these proceedings by virtue of the close relationship with an immediate relative, and Ms. Merchan’s ongoing receipt of commercial and reputational benefits based on the manner in which Your Honor has conducted these proceedings, requires recusal based on an actual conflict and an unacceptable appearance of impropriety," his attorneys wrote.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.