Trump hush money trial to start March 25, judge denies dismissal request

A judge on Thursday said that jury selection in the New York hush money trial of former President Donald Trump will begin March 25, and estimated that the trial will last six weeks.

Judge Juan Merchan confirmed that previously set trial start date after denying Tump's request to dismiss the case, where the Republican is charges with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to the payoff to porn star Stormy Daniels.

"We are moving ahead with March 25th," Merchan said.

Trump, who was in Manhattan Supreme Court for the hearing Thursday, will be the first former president to stand trial in a criminal case.

His lawyer Todd Blanche called the trial date a "great injustice" and "election interference, as Trump is seeking the GOP presidential nomination.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from a $130,000 payment to Daniels by his then-lawyer Michael Cohen shortly before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about her alleged sexual tryst with the then-presidential nominee a decade earlier.

Trump, who denies having sex with Daniels, is the front-runner for the Republican nomination.

In addition to the hush money case, he faces three other pending criminal cases, all of which have a chance of going to trial this year.

"We are pleased that the Court denied the defense's motion to dismiss," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement after the hearing ended Thursday morning. "We look forward to presenting our case in court on March 25, 2024."

During rhe hearing, Blanche complained to Merchan about the trial date being confirmed, saying "we've been put in an impossible position."

Merchan snapped at Blanche for interrupting him as the judge responded to that argument.

"You know about this