Trump's Hush Money Trial Delayed Due to Discovery Issues

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Former President Donald Trump was set to face his first criminal trial on Monday, but instead, his legal team will argue for a postponement or dismissal of the charges. Here's the latest update on the case:

The trial, focusing on charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney concerning hush money payments, has been delayed due to discovery issues. Over 100,000 new documents related to Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen were turned over, prompting the delay. Trump's lawyers argue that these documents could be exculpatory and need time for review.

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business documents related to the repayment of hush-money to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, an alleged affair Trump denies. If the trial begins in April, it would be Trump's first of four criminal trials and possibly the only one before the November election.

The delay stems from a dispute over the late disclosure of documents by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Trump's team claims the delay was intentional, while prosecutors blame Trump's attorneys for not raising concerns earlier.

The documents in question are related to the 2018 federal investigation into Cohen, including bank records, FBI interview notes from Robert Mueller's probe, and records seized from Cohen's devices. Over 200,000 pages of records were handed over this month.

While Trump's team aims for dismissal, the judge is likely to decide whether the delay is sufficient for document review. Testimony from Cohen and potentially Daniels is expected, despite Trump's objections.

With the trial postponed, Trump's legal battle continues. The hearing on Monday will shed light on the progress of document review and the likelihood of a trial proceeding in April. Stay tuned for updates on this high-profile case.