Lawyer: Trump seeking to move criminal case to federal court

May 4, 2023, 8:16 AM | Updated: 10:06 am

NEW YORK (AP) — historic indictment was brought.

Such a move, while rare, would have significant advantages for Trump, including a broader, more politically diverse jury pool that includes some Republican-leaning New York suburbs. In state court in Manhattan, juries are drawn only from that borough, where voters have heavily favored his Democratic rivals.

“This effort is extremely unlikely to succeed,” said Rebecca Roiphe, a professor at New York Law School. “It’s not even clear that this would be a particularly effective delay tactic.”

Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, spoke at a hearing on an unrelated issue in the case. He said the defense team plans to file a motion Thursday asking to transfer the case from state court to federal court.

Trump’s lawyers face a Thursday deadline to file paperwork listing their grounds for moving the case — 30 days after the April 4 state court arraignment where he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

A federal judge would then have to rule whether the case can be moved.

Prosecutors didn’t address the impending request during Thursday’s hearing. A message seeking comment was left with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office.

“It is possible to remove a state prosecution to federal court but the reasons for doing so are narrow and none seem to apply in this case,” Roiphe, a former Manhattan prosecutor, said.

Trump’s charges, the first brought against a former president, are related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign to bury allegations of extramarital sexual encounters.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan previously investigated those arrangements and only charged one person: Trump’s former lawyer and fixer key witness in the state case against Trump.

Trump, a Republican, has denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty.

At Thursday’s hearing regarding potential limitations on Trump’s access to certain evidence, Judge Juan Manuel Merchan asked Trump’s lawyers and the prosecution to confer and agree on a trial date in either February or March 2024.

Barring removal to federal court, that could land Trump, who’s currently making a comeback run for the White House, in court during next year’s party primaries.

William Dow III, a Connecticut attorney for more than 50 years, said he had never heard of a state criminal case being removed to federal court. He called such a move a delaying ploy.

“It’s interesting that sometimes people who want to run away from their problems take any avenue that’s available, whether it’s accurate or not. I think this (Trump’s case) is subject to that interpretation,” said Dow, whose clients have included former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland in a political corruption case that forced him to resign in 2004.

United States News

FILE - West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice delivers his annual State of the State address in the House C...

Associated Press

Coal firms owned by family of West Virginia governor sued over unpaid penalties

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Thirteen coal companies owned by the family of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice are being sued over unpaid penalties for previous mining law violations that the federal government says pose health and safety risks or threaten environmental harm. Justice, who was not named in the lawsuit, accused the Biden administration of […]

11 hours ago

FILE - Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks prior to signing the budget at a ceremony at a grocery s...

Associated Press

Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin sends 100 National Guard soldiers to US-Mexican border

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s Glenn Youngkin is joining the list of Republican governors sending soldiers or other state law enforcement officers to the U.S. border with Mexico. Youngkin announced Wednesday that in response to a request from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott he had signed an executive order directing the deployment of 100 Virginia National […]

11 hours ago

Bulldozers and heavy trucks are seen cleaning the ground of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Cent...

Associated Press

Police in Atlanta arrest 3 behind bail fund supporting protests against police training complex

ATLANTA (AP) — Police on Wednesday arrested three key Atlanta organizers who have been aiding protesters against the city’s proposed police and fire training center, striking at the structure that supports the fight against what opponents derisively call “Cop City.” The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced its agents and Atlanta police had arrested three officers […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

Limo company manager sentenced to at least 5 years for New York crash that killed 20

SCHOHARIE, N.Y. (AP) — A former limousine company manager was sentenced Wednesday to at least five years in prison for his role in a crash that killed 20 people in rural New York. Nauman Hussain, 33, was convicted of manslaughter earlier this month after prosecutors argued that he intentionally failed to properly maintain an SUV-style […]

11 hours ago

Associated Press

1 person killed in boiler explosion at southeastern Texas power plant

FRANKLIN, Texas (AP) — One person was killed when a boiler exploded at a southeastern Texas power plant Wednesday morning, according to a spokesperson for Dallas-based Luminant. “A contractor was fatally injured” in the blast about 8 a.m. at the Oak Grove Power Plant, according to a statement from spokesperson Meranda Cohn for Luminant, which […]

11 hours ago

FILE - Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart looks on during his town hall meeting on March 31, 2017, ...

Associated Press

Chris Stewart, 6-term Utah Republican, resigning from Congress

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart on Wednesday announced plans to resign his Utah seat due to his wife’s illness, triggering a special election to replace him in a reliably Republican district. “I can say with pride that I have been an effective leader for my beloved home state, and I’m honored […]

11 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

re:vitalize

Why drug-free weight loss still matters

Wanting to lose weight is a common goal for many people as they progress throughout life, but choosing between a holistic approach or to take medicine can be a tough decision.

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders

Living with an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and cause significant stress for those who suffer from the condition.

(Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona Photo)...

Desert Institute for Spine Care in Arizona

5 common causes for chronic neck pain

Neck pain can debilitate one’s daily routine, yet 80% of people experience it in their lives and 20%-50% deal with it annually.

Lawyer: Trump seeking to move criminal case to federal court