Trump tries to delay hush money trial for third time this week

The Republican presidential candidate is accused of covering up a $130,000 hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels for her silence ahead of the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK, April 10 (Reuters) -

Donald Trump's lawyers told a New York appeals court judge on Wednesday that the former U.S. president's April 15 trial should be delayed because the judge has not yet ruled on their motion for him to recuse himself, in his third last-ditch attempt so far this week to delay the case. The Republican presidential candidate is accused of covering up a $130,000 hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels for her silence ahead of the 2016 election about a sexual encounter she says she had with Trump in 2006.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies any such encounter with Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. On Monday, a judge at a mid-level state appeals court known as the Appellate Division denied Trump's request to delay the case while he pursues a challenge to the trial being held in heavily-Democratic Manhattan.

And on Tuesday, another judge rejected his bid to pause the trial while he appeals Justice Juan Merchan's decision to impose a gag order restricting his public statements about potential witnesses, court staff, lawyers, and family members of the judge and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Those appeals will still be heard by a full panel.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin in the trial on Monday. The case is one of four criminal indictments Trump faces as he prepares to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in their Nov. 5 U.S. election rematch. He has sought to delay proceedings in all cases until after the election, and the hush money case is the only one with a firm trial date.

The other cases stem from his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden and his handling of sensitive government documents after leaving the presidency in 2021. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.