Bittersweet day for Trump: Bail looser but closer to his first criminal trial

This Monday, the 25th, was a bittersweet day for the former president of the USA donald trump. On the one hand, the justice system rejected his request to postpone the start of the criminal trial against him for the Case for 90 days. Stormy Daniels; However, he also benefited from a notable reduction in the multimillion-dollar bail he will have to pay after being found guilty of tax fraud.

TO LOOK: New York court reduces Trump’s bail to $175 million and gives him more time to pay

Colombian-born judge Juan Merchán rejected the request of Trump’s defense, which had asked for the trial against him to be postponed for up to three months for allegedly buying the silence of former adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, known as ‘Stormy Daniels’ . ‘.

The process, which was initially scheduled to begin this Monday, the 25th, had already been postponed for 30 days after the Public Prosecutor’s Office presented a new set of evidence that had to be reviewed by Trump’s defense.

However, this time Merchán determined that on April 15th – that is, within 20 days – jury selection will begin for what would be the first criminal trial against a former president of the United States.

The measure was received personally by Trump and was described as “unfair”By his attorney, Todd Blanche. “He shouldn’t have to be tried now, because (prosecutors) decided to open this case a year ago and not three years ago”, stated the defender before the court.

Trump is accused of having paid $130,000 to Daniels, through his lawyer Bill Cohen, during the 2016 campaign, in exchange for the former pornographic actress’ silence about an alleged extramarital affair they had years ago. (ETHAN MILLER OLIVIER DOULIERY/)

However, it wasn’t all bad news for Trump. While heading to the Manhattan court, the former president was notified that the New York appeals court had authorized the reduction by more than half of the bail imposed on him in the tax fraud case in which his sons Eric were also convicted. and Donald Jr., as well as the Trump Organization.

Trump will now have to pay a bail of 175 million dollars within 10 days, instead of the 454 million dollars – 355 million in fine and more than 100 million in accumulated interest – set in February by judge Arthur Engoron for inflating the amount of his properties to get more favorable interest rates on loans and insurance on his Trump Organization real estate empire.

The measure temporarily suspends New York Attorney General Letitia James’ ability to seize the Trumps’ assets and bank accounts.

“It should be ZERO, I DID NOTHING WRONG!“Trump wrote on his Truth Social account after hearing the court’s ruling. A week ago, his lawyers assured that the tycoon had not been able to increase the bail amount.

In mid-February, Judge Engoron imposed fines on Trump and his companies ($355 million), his two eldest sons ($4 million each) and a former company executive ($1 million) for tax fraud. (KENA BETANCUR/AFP/)

The news that Trump, who has always boasted of being a wealthy businessman, is unable to pay bail, certainly raised eyebrows. “For his electoral base there is no impact because nothing seems to undermine that support, but there is for moderate or independent voters who supported him in the last elections and who have now reinforced the idea that Trump is not a good candidate for them.“, he comments The trade political analyst Hernán Molina.

“His image would change radically in the eyes of many people, as he always presented himself as a successful millionaire.“Andrew Weissmann, former federal prosecutor and author of a book about the accusations against the ex-governor, told AFP.

In an apparent attempt to reverse this idea, this Monday, the 25th, the president guaranteed “have a lot of money“to pay the new bail, although he admitted that he would prefer to use it”be elected”, in reference to his presidential campaign.

As with the rest of the legal proceedings against him, Trump raised the idea that this was a conspiracy against him to prevent his return to the White House. Proof of this is that he described prosecutor James as “racist and corrupt“and for judge Engoron to be”controlled by the democratic clique”.

“The constant diatribe against judges and prosecutors continues to work with his base, but this is no longer the same one that followed him fervently four years ago. It has shrunk, although it maintains between 28% and 32% of the votes secured. As much as I keep talking, I believe that many have already gotten tired of it, the proof is that 70% of voters do not want a new definition between Biden and Trump. This shows the exhaustion of both politicians,” says Molina.

The analyst highlights, however, that the current president and virtual Democratic candidate Joe Biden could take advantage of the doubts raised about Trump and highlight the achievements achieved in economic matters, one of the most decisive aspects for the North American voter.

“The economy is currently quite strong in the United States. Unemployment has not increased, inflation is falling, interest rates remain unfortunately high because the Federal Reserve believes that the battle against inflation has not yet been won. Now everything depends on how the Biden campaign presents its plans for the economy and how it differs from what the Republicans propose. Trump’s base will not decide the election, it is not enough for him; But independents will and today Biden still has a lot to do to win those votes“, Explain.

Source: Elcomercio