April 15 (2024)

A date is set for Trump’s first criminal trial - March 25, 2024
Donald Trump is all but certain to become the first former U.S. president to stand trial on criminal charges after a judge rejected his effort to delay the proceeding.
The trial, in which Trump will be accused of covering up a sex scandal during his 2016 campaign, 
is set to begin on April 15.
* Marc Pitzke, für Spiegel: Erster Strafprozess gegen einen Ex-Präsidenten Dieser Mann richtet jetzt über Donald Trump. Als erster Ex-Präsident muss sich Donald Trump in New York vor einem Strafgericht verantworten. Richter Juan Merchan ist bekannt dafür, dass er keinen Unsinn duldet. Kann er so einen unbeherrschten Angeklagten endlich bändigen? Von Marc Pitzke, New York 
* trump-ny-hush-money-case Übersicht der Artikel bei der NYT. 
** The Mechanics of Covering Trump’s Manhattan Criminal Trial.
** Todd Blanche, his lawyer
and (on the same day)
Separately, an appeals court panel reduced Trump’s bond in a civil fraud trial from $ 454 millions to $ 175 millions, potentially staving off financial disaster for him. (look at Arthur Engoron)
Both developments highlighted the chaotic effects that Trump’s legal troubles could have on the presidential election 2024.
In the Bragg case, Trump is charged with covering up hush money payments he made to Stormy Daniels to keep voters from knowing about their alleged affair, out of fears that it would harm his 2016 presidential campaign. (Trump has pleaded not guilty and denies the affair.) 
* Judge Merchan rejected Donald Trump’s last-ditch bid to delay his criminal trial in Manhattan. NYT dazu - 4th Apr 24 
* An appeals court rejected Trump’s latest attempt to delay his Manhattan criminal trial, which is scheduled to begin on April 15. 
** News on NYT
=== finding jurors===
If jury selection continues at this pace, opening arguments will probably begin on Monday, the judge overseeing the case said 16th apr. 
=== gag order on Trump / Maulkorb/Redeverbot über Beteiligte, um Angriffe zu verhindern ===
* justice Merchan:
* A NY judge issues gag order on Trump in hush money trial, blasting his ‘threatening, inflammatory, denigrating’ statements. (By Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle and Jeremy Herb, CNN - 2024/03/26/ )
Maulkorb für Trump: Für diesen Strafprozess gegen Donald Trump in Zusammenhang mit der Verbuchung seiner Schweigegeldzahlungen an einen Pornostar hat das Gericht öffentliche Aussagen des früheren US-Präsidenten über Zeugen, Geschworene und Mitarbeiter der Justiz eingeschränkt. 
=== The Sarbanes-Oxley Act ===
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was passed in response to the Enron scandal in the early 2000s, after it was exposed that those involved had engaged in massive fraud and shredding documents. It criminalises the destruction of evidence - like records or documents. But it also penalises anyone who "otherwise obstructs, influences or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so." How has it been used in response to the 6 January riots? 
Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has brought obstruction charges against those who participated in the storming of the Capitol.  Federal prosecutors argue they did so to impede Congress' certification of the presidential electoral vote count to cement Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election. Therefore, the latter portion of the law that deals with obstructing an "official proceeding" would apply, the DoJ says. 
Who is challenging the law's use in this case, and why? The Supreme Court is hearing a challenge to the law's application brought forward by a former Pennsylvania police officer. Joseph Fischer was charged under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act with obstruction of a congressional proceeding on 6 January, as well as assaulting a police officer and disorderly conduct. His lawyers argue that prosecutors overreached with applying the Act, which they say deals explicitly with destroying or tampering with evidence integral to an investigation.
=== other Weblinks === 
* https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2024-03/donald-trump-prozess-schweigegeld-gericht?dicbo=v2-xfrtr9
* Calling this trial a mere “hush money” case risks minimizing what’s at stake. It is an election interference one and we should say so.  
** https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/16/opinions/trump-trial-jury-hush-money-election-eisen/index.html
german:
* Marc Pitzke, für Spiegel: Erster Strafprozess gegen einen Ex-Präsidenten — Dieser Mann richtet jetzt über Donald Trump. Als erster Ex-Präsident muss sich Donald Trump in New York vor einem Strafgericht verantworten. Richter Juan Merchan ist bekannt dafür, dass er keinen Unsinn duldet. Kann er so einen unbeherrschten Angeklagten endlich bändigen? Von Marc Pitzke aus New York, 15.4.24