Appeal Court Reduces Trump Bond In Civil Case, Hush Money Trial Set April 15

New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan has set a date of April 15 to begin the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump on charges related to hush-money paid to an adult film star. Merchan's ruling resisted a call from Trump's legal team to further delay the trial, which was originally scheduled to get underway today.

• The decision means that Trump appears guaranteed to face a jury in a criminal trial before November's presidential election, albeit in the case considered least threatening to Trump. If the trial goes ahead it will be the first criminal trial of an ex-president in US history.
• Elsewhere in New York an appeals court has handed Trump a lifeline by reducing the bond he must pay in his civil fraud case from USD454 billion to USD$175 billion and allowing Trump an additional 10 days to secure the bond payment.
• The New York Times notes, "the ruling by a five-judge panel of appellate court judges was a crucial and unexpected victory for the former president, potentially staving off a looming financial disaster."
• If Trump can obtain the smaller bond, it will mitigate the risk of major financial issues upending his presidential campaign which is currently lagging President Biden's across multiple financing metrics.
• A spokesperson for New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that Trump is “still facing accountability for his staggering fraud” and the judgment “still stands.”