New York Judge Upholds Trump’s Hush Money Conviction, Rejects Immunity Claim

A New York judge has upheld former President Donald Trump’s conviction on charges related to his 2016 hush money payments, rejecting arguments from his legal team that the case should be dismissed due to presidential immunity.

 

In a 41-page decision issued today, Judge Juan Merchan dismissed Trump’s claims that the ruling should be overturned following a U.S. Supreme Court decision in July, which affirmed that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions undertaken in their official capacity. While the Supreme Court’s ruling granted immunity for actions taken by a president in the course of their duties, Merchan ruled that the charges against Trump were not related to his official duties as president, but to conduct that was unrelated to his presidency.

 

The ruling preserves Trump’s historic conviction, which stems from his efforts to cover up reimbursements made to his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who in 2016 paid off an adult film actress to silence allegations of an affair. Trump’s legal team had hoped the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling would allow him to escape liability, arguing that actions taken while president—such as negotiating the terms of the hush money payment—should be shielded.

 

Judge Merchan, however, sided with prosecutors, emphasizing that the evidence presented in trial showed Trump’s involvement in actions that were clearly outside the scope of his presidential duties. He stated that the case involved "entirely unofficial conduct," pushing back against Trump’s assertion that it fell under the purview of presidential powers.

 

This decision marks a critical moment in the ongoing legal battles surrounding the former president. In May 2024, a New York jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up the hush money scheme. Trump has continued to deny any wrongdoing, and his spokesperson, Steven Cheung, immediately criticized the ruling.

 

"This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed," Cheung said in a statement, labeling the decision a violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

 

If the conviction is upheld in future appeals, Trump would become the first individual to hold the office of President of the United States while serving a felony conviction.