Trump Makes 11th-Hour Move in Hush-Money Trial

Donald Trump's hush money criminal trial is due to start a week from today—unless Trump succeeds in his latest effort to push back its start. CBS News reports on a pair of sealed filings made Monday, which appear under "change of venue" and "stay" in an online database; its take is that Trump is asking an appellate court for a change of venue in the case and for a stay of a gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan.

The New York Times reports the Article 78 action is being filed against Merchan and predicts "Trump's unorthodox move—essentially an appeal in the form of a lawsuit—is unlikely to succeed, particularly so close to trial." The paper reports that while his lawyers have tried to delay the trial a number of times, this is the first time they have leaned on an appeals court in an effort to do so. Resolution should come quickly, with the paper expecting a preliminary ruling from a single judge Monday in advance of a five-judge panel considering Trump's requests. (More Donald Trump stories.)