US Judge Rejects Trump’s Bid to Dismiss Hush Money Conviction

A US judge in New York rejected Donald Trump’s attempt to have his hush money conviction dismissed on Monday. Trump’s legal team had argued that a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity invalidated the verdict.

Trump was convicted of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. The payment was intended to cover up an alleged affair, which Trump denies.

Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan’s ruling eliminates one possible avenue for dismissing the case as Trump prepares to return to office next month. However, his legal team has raised other arguments for dismissal.

Trump’s lawyers contended that having the case linger during his presidency would hinder his ability to govern. Prosecutors, while acknowledging the need for some accommodations for his upcoming presidency, maintained that the conviction should stand.

A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents cannot be prosecuted for actions related to their official duties. Trump’s lawyers cited this ruling to argue that improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from White House aides, and social media posts made during his presidency, influenced the jury. Prosecutors countered, stating that the evidence in question was a small part of their case.