Trump lawyers push again to shift ‘hush money’ case to feds

Donald Trump’s lawyers blasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg late Thursday for allegedly bringing charges against their client out of “political motivation,” as they argued again to move the “hush money” case against the former president from state to federal court.

Trump, 77, has been trying to shift the criminal case Bragg mounted against him from Manhattan state court to a federal court in the borough, claiming the matter “involves important federal questions.”

Bragg’s office claims Trump’s alleged crimes weren’t carried out as part of his official duties as president but largely occurred before he took office and were for the benefit of the Trump Organization.

Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles fired back in papers filed in Manhattan federal court, arguing the former president was in office during the alleged conduct and claimed the case “was brought solely due to the political motivation of” Bragg.

“It is in fact the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office that made the decision to wrongfully prosecute President Trump for lawful conduct that took place while the President was in office,” the documents claim.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan — who is currently overseeing the state case — has said it will head to trial in March 25, 2024, in the middle of the Republican primary campaign.

If the case does end up in federal court, that could potentially push the trial date out even further.

A hearing in the matter is slated for June 27.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to allegedly hide payments he made to Michael Cohen — his one time personal lawyer and “fixer” — reimbursing him for a $130,000 hush money payment meant to keep porn star Stormy Daniels from going public with claims she had an affair with Trump.

Separately, conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation filed a Freedom of Information lawsuit against Bragg’s office late Thursday seeking records to help it determine whether Bragg “coordinated his case with President Trump’s political opponents,” in government.

Heritage — which unsuccessfully sued to see Prince Harry’s US visa application — wants a judge to force the DA’s office to turn over any communications it may have had with the Department of Justice, Congress, Senate, the FBI and the White House pertaining to the case.

An embattled Trump was indicted on federal charges last week for allegedly improperly hoarding a trove of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate after he left office. He’s pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts in that case as well as in the DA’s case.

The DA’s office didn’t immediately return a request for comment Friday. Necheles declined to comment.