New York appeals court rejects Donald Trump’s third request to delay April 15 hush money trial

NEW YORK (AP) — For the third straight day, a New York appeals court has rejected an attempt by Donald Trump’s lawyers to delay the former president’s hush money criminal trial.

Trump’s lawyers had argued that the trial should be put off indefinitely while they fight to remove the judge, Juan M. Merchan, and challenge several of his rulings.

Justice Ellen Gesmer’s ruling is another loss for Trump, who has tried repeatedly to get the trial postponed. The decision means the first of Trump’s four criminal trials will start as scheduled on April 15.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging he falsified business records to hide the true nature of payments made in connection with a scheme to suppress damaging stories about him during his 2016 presidential campaign.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers tried Wednesday for a third straight day to get a New York appeals court to delay his hush money criminal trial. Among other grievances, they argued the former president and presumptive Republican nominee should be on the campaign trail rather than “in a courtroom defending himself” starting next Monday.

In their latest salvo, Trump’s lawyers asked the state’s mid-level appeals court to halt the case indefinitely while they fight to remove the trial judge and challenge several of his pretrial rulings, which they argue have seriously hindered his defense.

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