NEW: Trump Gets Positive Development In Alvin Bragg’s New York Case

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has made a surprising request that aligns with what Donald Trump’s legal team has advocated for: a delay in the high-profile hush-money case against the former president. With jury selection initially slated to commence in just 11 days, Bragg’s request to Judge Juan Merchan to postpone the trial by 30 days marks a notable development in the closely watched legal battle.

The request comes on the heels of the prosecution’s receipt of approximately 31,000 pages of additional records on Wednesday, documents that could be pivotal in the ongoing case against Trump. Bragg, in his request to the judge, highlighted the necessity of this delay to ensure a thorough review of the new documents.

“Based on our initial review of yesterday’s production, those records appear to contain materials related to the subject matter of this case, including materials that the People requested from the USAO more than a year ago and that the USAO previously declined to provide,” Bragg wrote.

Despite the People’s opposition to the defendant’s motion for dismissal, the document reveals an openness to a brief postponement. “Nonetheless, in light of the distinctive circumstances described below, the People do not oppose a brief adjournment of up to 30 days to permit sufficient time for defendant to review the USAO productions,” the notice further explained, signaling a surprising but potentially strategic move from Bragg’s office.

The stance comes after a series of developments that saw the United States Attorney’s Office produce a significant volume of documents in response to a subpoena from Trump’s team. The documents are said to contain materials related to the case’s subject matter, some of which were requested over a year ago and had previously been declined.

“We note that the timing of the current production of additional materials from the USAO is a function of defendant’s own delay… Nonetheless, and although the People are prepared to proceed to trial on March 25, we do not oppose an adjournment in an abundance of caution and to ensure that defendant has sufficient time to review the new materials,” Bragg wrote.

The development is seen as a positive turn for Trump and his legal team, who have been pushing for a delay in the trial to adequately prepare their defense in light of the newly received documents. With the potential delay, both the defense and the prosecution will have additional time to sift through the newly submitted records.

The case involving Trump and allegations of hush money payments centers on payments made to two women, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who claimed to have had affairs with Trump. Trump has denied these affairs. The payments were made before the 2016 presidential election, ostensibly to prevent the women’s allegations from becoming public and potentially affecting the election’s outcome.

Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges including campaign finance violations related to these payments. He claimed that he arranged payments to the women at Trump’s direction. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison but said his actions were taken to protect Trump’s candidacy.

The legal issue revolves around whether these payments constituted illegal campaign contributions. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan initially investigated the payments as part of the broader inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election. However, Trump was not charged with any crime as part of that investigation.

After leaving office, Trump faced increased legal scrutiny over these payments and other matters. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office continued to investigate the hush money payments, among other financial dealings related to Trump and his business empire.

The case touches on complex legal questions regarding campaign finance laws, presidential immunity, and the potential for criminal liability. It’s part of a broader array of legal challenges and investigations Trump has faced since leaving office, including inquiries into his business practices, his administration’s policies, and his actions surrounding the 2020 presidential election.