Trump in New York court for Stormy Daniels hush money case hearing

Former President Donald Trump arrived at a New York City courthouse Thursday morning for a hearing where his lawyers want a judge to toss his criminal hush money case, currently is set to begin trial next month.

“This is not a crime,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom, where he argued that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office filed the charges against him last year to harm his chances of winning the 2024 presidential election.

“This is being run by Joe Biden’s White House,” Trump said. “This is just a way of hurting me in the election.”

Trump is charged in the case with falsifying business records related to a $130,00 payment his then-lawyer Michael Cohen gave porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about her alleged sexual tryst with the then-Republican presidential nominee.

Trump, who denies having sex with Daniels, has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in the Manhattan Supreme Court case.

His trial is scheduled to begin March 25.

Trump’s lawyers argue that he is the victim of selective prosecution, one of the bases of his motion to dismiss the case.

This is developing news. Check back for updates.