A New York judge has denied President-elect Donald Trump's motion to overturn his conviction in the hush-money case, rejecting arguments based on presidential immunity. Judge Juan Merchan stated that the evidence presented pertained solely to unofficial conduct, therefore not warranting immunity protection. While sentencing is scheduled for January 10th, Judge Merchan indicated he will likely issue an unconditional discharge, meaning no punishment will be imposed. Trump's inauguration is set for January 20th.
Trump's spokesperson and incoming White House Communications Director, Steven Cheung, expressed strong disagreement with the judge's decision, calling it a violation of Supreme Court precedent and demanding immediate dismissal of the case. He emphasized the need for Trump to focus on the presidential transition without legal obstructions. Cheung reiterated their intent to continue fighting the charges.
This ruling follows a previous denial last month of a similar request by Trump's legal team to dismiss the charges based on presidential immunity. The judge maintained that the trial evidence was exclusively related to unofficial actions. Trump had pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records. Following a six-week trial, a jury found him guilty on all counts. The Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity for official acts while in office was central to Trump's argument for dismissal.
In July, Trump's team formally requested the judge to overturn the guilty verdict, citing the Supreme Court's immunity ruling. They argued that evidence related to "official acts" should have been excluded from the trial. Further, they've asserted that the case is politically motivated and interferes with the presidential transition process. Manhattan District Attorney's suggestion to postpone the case until after Trump's second term was also rejected by Trump's lawyers, who argued that such a delay is not permissible.
