US judge again rejects Trump’s bid to overturn hush money conviction

Washington, Aug 29 (IANS) A federal judge has once again rejected US President Donald Trump’s attempt to move his hush money case from New York state court to federal court, dealing another setback to his efforts to overturn his criminal conviction.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York said Trump’s reasons for renewing his request were “neither new nor legally sufficient.”

In May 2024, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a 130,000-dollar hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

Trump first sought to move the case to federal court on May 4, 2023. Hellerstein rejected the request on July 19, 2023, ruling that the alleged conduct was personal rather than related to Trump’s official duties as President, reports Xinhua news agency.

Hellerstein rejected Trump’s request a second time in September 2024, following Trump’s conviction and the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling that former presidents have immunity from federal criminal prosecution for certain official acts performed while President.

In Friday’s ruling, Hellerstein again maintained that the case concerned Trump’s personal conduct rather than his official acts as President.

“Paying hush money to an adult film star or engaging in a cover-up of an embarrassment are not subsumed in presidential immunity,” he wrote.

Trump’s legal team said in a statement that it would appeal the decision. A spokesperson for the team called the ruling “baseless and lawless.”

Juan Merchan, a New York judge who was overseeing the hush money case, had in January 2025 granted Trump an unconditional discharge in delivering the sentence, meaning the President will face no fine or probation supervision.

Still, the sentencing formally designates Trump as a convicted felon, subject to the outcome of his future appeals.

–IANS

sd/