Former President Donald Trump has dropped his bid to move his hush money criminal case to federal court.
On Tuesday, Trump suddenly decided to proceed in state court as he defends himself against 34 charges of falsifying business records.
Manhattan prosecutors charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records in part to conceal a $130,000 hush payment that then-fixer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to The Hill, Trump’s filing came a day ahead of the deadline for submitting written arguments to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, requesting the trial be moved to federal court:
Trump’s lawyers previously indicated they wanted to move courts to raise various federal defenses to the indictment and argue it was an impermissible act of state hostility against a federal official.
A move to federal court would have broadened the jury pool to include prospective jurors outside of deep-blue Manhattan.
It also would have doomed chances of the trial being televised, a matter that remains an open question as the case moves ahead in state court.
The appeal followed a federal judge’s ruling rejecting Trump’s attempt to move the case to another court, citing a lack of connection to his presidency. (RELATED: Judge Denies Trump’s Request To Move Hush Money Case To Federal Court)
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