New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg had been investigating former President Donald Trump for alleged hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. (Shane Bevel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images | Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree in April. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Trump and his attorneys sought to have the case dismissed altogether, but Merchan denied the request last month.
Bragg alleged Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election."
The charges are related to alleged hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.
In 2019, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted out of charging Trump related to the payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021.
Former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 9, 2024, in Rome, Georgia. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Last week, the Supreme Court sided unanimously with the GOP frontrunner in his challenge to Colorado’s attempt to kick him off the 2024 primary ballot.
The high court ruled in favor of Trump's arguments in the case, which will impact the status of efforts in several other states to remove the likely GOP nominee from their respective ballots.
The court considered for the first time the meaning and reach of Article 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars former officeholders who "engaged in insurrection" from holding public office again. Challenges have been filed to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot in over 30 states.
TRUMP SPEAKS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING, TELLS BIDEN TO 'FIGHT YOUR FIGHT YOURSELF'
In reacting to that ruling last week, Trump shifted his sights to the issue of presidential immunity.
"A great win for America. Very, very important!" Trump told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview after the ruling.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"Equally important for our country will be the decision that they will soon make on immunity for a president – without which, the presidency would be relegated to nothing more than a ceremonial position, which is far from what the founders intended," Trump told Fox News Digital. "No president would be able to properly and effectively function without complete and total immunity."
He added, "Our country would be put at great risk."
Brooke Singman is a political correspondent and reporter for Fox News Digital, Fox News Channel and FOX Business.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more Fox News politics content.
Subscribed
You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-lawyers-motion-to-adjourn-manhattan-da-trial-until-after-scotus-rules-on-presidential-immunity