July 19 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday denied Donald Trump's bid to move from New York state court to federal court the criminal case against the former U.S. president stemming from a hush money payment to a porn star.
Trump, the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, had argued the case belonged in federal court, claiming that the indictment related to his 2016 presidency and involved federal election law.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in Manhattan bought none of his arguments.
"The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the matter was purely a personal item of the President -- a cover-up of an embarrassing event," Hellerstein wrote in a 25-page decision.
In the hush-money case, Justice Juan Merchan of New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan has set a trial for March 2024.
Persons:
Donald Trump's, Trump, reimbursements, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Alvin Hellerstein, Hellerstein, E, Jean Carroll, Juan Merchan, District Judge Hellerstein, Daniels, Stephanie Clifford, Karen Freifeld, Chris Reese, Leslie Adler, Jonathan Oatis
Organizations:
Republican, U.S, Trump, New York, Court, District, Thomson
Locations:
U.S, New York, Manhattan, New, York