Judge Rejects Trump’s Bid to Overturn Hush Money Conviction
A Manhattan judge has denied Donald Trump’s request to dismiss his conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush money case, stating that the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling does not apply. Trump’s lawyers had argued that the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records should be thrown out, citing the immunity protections for official acts. Judge Juan Merchan, however, ruled that the actions in question were personal and unrelated to Trump’s duties as president so do not fall under the immunity protections ruling.
What was Trump convicted of?
The conviction stems from a $130,000 payment made to Daniels during the 2016 election to silence her claims of a past sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Prosecutors successfully argued that the payment and the falsified records were part of an effort to avoid damaging his campaign. Trump maintains his innocence and insists he never had a sexual relationship with Daniels.
Merchan’s decision follows months of legal back-and-forth since the May 2024 conviction. Trump’s defense team pointed to the Supreme Court’s ruling that former presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts, claiming that certain evidence presented at trial, such as White House aides’ testimony and social media posts, fell under this protection. However, Merchan dismissed these claims, calling any related evidence “a sliver” of the case and concluding it was insufficient to undermine the overwhelming proof of guilt.
The ruling is the latest setback for Trump, who is set to begin his second term as president on January 20th, 2025. He is the first U.S. president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Sentencing for the case, initially scheduled for late November, has been postponed indefinitely to allow the defense and prosecution to propose next steps.
Prosecutors have suggested several accommodations, including delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office in 2029 or ensuring any sentence excludes jail time. Trump’s team has rejected these ideas, calling them “absurd” and insisting the conviction be dismissed altogether.
The case marks one of several legal battles Trump has faced. Special counsel Jack Smith recently dismissed two federal cases against him, including allegations of election interference and mishandling classified documents, following his election victory. A separate state case in Georgia remains on hold.
Steven Cheung, Trump’s spokesperson, criticized Merchan’s decision, calling it a “direct violation” of the Supreme Court’s ruling. He labeled the case “lawless” and demanded its immediate dismissal. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which brought the charges, declined to comment.
Despite the unresolved legal challenges, Trump will take office again in January, with the potential sentencing looming over his second term.
