Former President Donald Trump’s legal calendar has been shot full of holes, but his trial schedule could become clearer Monday after a hearing in New York.
Trump, 77, faces four criminal trials – including two federal cases – as he campaigns against incumbent Joe Biden, 81, for control of the White House.
A trial alleging Trump paid hush money to an adult film actress was set to begin Monday, but a last-minute document dump from prosecutors delayed the case.
Trump pleaded not guilty in April 2023 to 34 felony counts related to charges he paid off Stormy Daniels through a lawyer before the 2016 presidential election and covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president.
Judge Juan Merchan agreed to a 30-day postponement to allow the documents to be reviewed, setting the date of the trial to April 15.
Trump has asked for 90 days to review more than 100,000 pages of documents prosecutors produced last week. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg pushed back on that request, saying many of the documents aren’t relevant.
But both sides will be in court on Monday to discuss the matter with Merchan.
Monday is also the deadline for Trump to come up with $464 million, plus interest, for a bond to appeal to a civil case that poses a serious risk to his presidential campaign and his real estate portfolio.
Trump is appealing a ruling by Superior Court Judge Arthur Engoron in a civil fraud lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James in 2022. Trump has accused the judge of “errors of law and/or fact, abused its discretion, and/or acted in excess of its jurisdiction.”
Engoron found that Trump, his company and top executives, including his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, deceived banks and insurers by inflating the value of his family’s wealth on financial statements used to secure loans.
The judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties, which, with interest, has grown to nearly $464 million.
Trump has said he can’t get a bond for the amount and asked to put up a $100 million bond instead. James has said she will seek “judgment enforcement mechanisms in court” if Trump can’t come up with the money. That could include seizing his real estate.
Money has been on Trump’s mind.
“Even though I did nothing wrong, a Radical Left New York Judge, a true Trump Hater, Arthur Engoron (Are we allowed to speak about his Unconstitutional Gag Order?), picked a number out of THIN AIR, $355,000,000, plus interest (reminiscent of John Lovitz, “The Liar,” on SNL when it was good), & wants me to bond it, which is not possible for bonding companies to do in such a high amount, before I can even Appeal,” Trump wrote Thursday on Truth Social. “That is CRAZY! If I sold assets, and then won the Appeal, the assets would be forever gone. Also, putting up money before an Appeal is VERY EXPENSIVE. When I win the Appeal, all of that money is gone, and I would have done nothing wrong.”
