One of President Trump’s attorneys reportedly said his client would attend New York ‘hush money’ hearing.
It’s a big week for former President Donald Trump’s four criminal cases. On Feb. 15, two separate cases will hold hearings; one judge may decide to go to trial as early as next month, and the other will weigh the disqualification of the prosecutor, possibly delaying the trial indefinitely.
In New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged President Trump with 34 counts related to falsifying internal records. In Georgia, President Trump and more than a dozen others have been charged with racketeering and conspiracy in the state’s 2020 election probe.
President Trump is also facing criminal charges in Florida and the District of Columbia, and guilty verdicts in the four cases could result in sentences of decades in prison.
President Trump’s Georgia hearing is slated to start at 9:30 a.m. ET—the same time as the New York hearing.
‘Hush Money’ Case
That case involves alleged “hush money” that President Trump is accused of arranging to be paid to adult star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Steve Sadow, one of President Trump’s attorneys, said his client would appear at the Feb. 15 hearing, according to NBC News.
New York Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the trial, is set to consider various requests from President Trump’s attorneys, including a motion to dismiss the case.
With the trial currently scheduled for March 25, Judge Merchan has said he is open to considering necessary changes. The “hush money” trial is just one of several cases that could eat up time the GOP front-runner might otherwise spend on campaigning.
CNN reported that multiple sources indicated he had considered attending the Georgia hearing on Feb. 15, reportedly intrigued by the prospect of prosecutor Fani Willis’s taking the stand.
The “hush money” case will likely be the first of President Trump’s criminal trials to take place and is arguably the least perilous for him, according to The Associated Press. It’s unclear whether he will face prison time for those particular charges. Media coverage has indicated that defendants convicted of falsifying business records generally don’t receive prison sentences.
By Sam Dorman and Catherine Yang
