A New York judge ruled on Tuesday against US President-elect Donald Trump’s attempt to have his conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star thrown out on immunity grounds.
Judge Juan Merchan’s ruling stated that a Supreme Court decision granting presidents sweeping immunity for official acts does not apply in this case, as the evidence presented during the trial related to “entirely unofficial conduct.”
Trump’s lawyers had argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity should lead to the exclusion of certain trial evidence, including Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from White House aides, and social media posts made during his presidency. They contended that these pieces of evidence were improperly used to support the charges.
However, Judge Merchan disagreed, asserting that the case focused on falsifying business records, not on presidential duties, and that even if some of the evidence pertained to official actions, it did not undermine the case. He also noted that any potential errors in admitting evidence would not have altered the outcome, given the strong evidence of Trump’s guilt.
The hush money case
In May, a jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The payment was allegedly made to prevent Daniels from revealing an affair she claims to have had with Trump, which he denies. Trump’s legal team has repeatedly maintained that the case should never have been brought, with Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, labeling it a “lawless case” and calling for its immediate dismissal.
Prosecutors have expressed their intention to uphold the conviction but have indicated a willingness to accommodate Trump’s upcoming presidency. Despite this, Trump’s legal team continues to pursue other arguments for dismissal.
Trump is set to return to office next month, with the legal battle surrounding his conviction ongoing.