George Santos faced a New York judge in court as his federal criminal trial looms

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos, the first out gay Republican elected to Congress, appeared in federal court in New York on Tuesday as his impending fraud trial that’s set to begin September 9 looms. Santos, who faces a litany of charges, including identity theft and wire fraud, attended a pretrial conference where critical decisions were made regarding the trial’s proceedings.

U.S. District Judge Joanna Seybert, presiding over the case, ruled that the jury for Santos’s trial will be anonymous. The decision was made to protect jurors from potential harassment because of the case’s high-profile nature. This ruling comes after Santos’s legal team requested that prospective jurors fill out a written questionnaire to gauge their opinions about him, a request that the judge ultimately denied.

According to The Associated Press, Santos’s lawyers argued that the questionnaire was necessary because of the extensive negative media coverage surrounding their client since his political career began to unravel. Santos’s lawyers argued that media attention surrounding the case would taint the jury, but prosecutors had argued that Santos has relished in media attention and contributed to coverage about him. Seybert sided with federal prosecutors, who contended in a letter to the judge on Friday that such a measure would delay the trial and was unnecessary. The judge emphasized that in-person questioning of potential jurors would allow for more thorough and varied inquiries, ensuring a fair selection process or voir dire.

Related: George Santos Is in Plea Negotiations with Federal Prosecutors

Plea negotiations between Santos and federal prosecutors, which had been ongoing since late last year, appear to have stalled with no agreement. The talks were first revealed in December when court documents indicated that both parties were working toward a possible plea deal. Tuesday’s court proceedings provided no indication that a resolution has been reached, and Santos continues to maintain his innocence, having pleaded not guilty to all charges.

During the brief hearing, the court also discussed the logistics of the upcoming three-week trial. Prosecutors indicated that they plan to call at least three dozen witnesses, including people directly affected by Santos’s alleged crimes, the AP reports. Seybert urged both sides to streamline the proceedings to avoid redundant testimony, stressing the importance of an efficient trial.

Santos declined to speak with reporters as he exited the courthouse. However, according to the AP, his lawyer, Robert Fantone, expressed cautious optimism, saying, “I think we’re going to be alright,” when asked whether Santos could receive a fair trial.