Judge Maintains Trump’s Conviction Despite Presidential Immunity Ruling
NEW YORK — In a recent legal development, a judge in Manhattan has upheld the conviction of President-elect Donald Trump related to a hush money payment, notwithstanding a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity. The ruling, issued on Monday by Judge Juan M. Merchan, leaves the future of the case shrouded in uncertainty.
The decision prevents the dismissal of the case before Trump is scheduled to assume office next month, although his legal team has presented additional reasons for dismissal. The timeline for a potential sentencing remains undefined.
Prosecutors assert that allowances should be made for Trump’s impending presidency, yet they argue that the conviction should remain intact. In May, Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records linked to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump disputes any wrongdoing and denies any sexual encounter with Daniels.
The Supreme Court’s ruling last month clarified that former presidents cannot be prosecuted for actions considered official duties, which cannot be used as evidence in cases concerning personal conduct. Trump’s legal team referenced this decision to challenge the admissibility of certain evidence presented in the hush money case, such as financial disclosures and social media posts made during his presidency.
Judge Merchan, however, rejected most of Trump’s claims, stating that the evidence in question did not infringe upon presidential immunity protections. He noted that even if some evidence pertained to official duties, its use to illustrate personal actions of falsifying records did not threaten executive authority.
Merchan further emphasized that any potential errors in evidence admission were inconsequential given the “overwhelming evidence of guilt.” Prosecutors had characterized the disputed evidence as only a small portion of their case.
Reacting to the ruling, Trump communications director Steven Cheung criticized it as a “direct violation of the Supreme Court’s decision on immunity.” Cheung urged for the case to be dismissed based on constitutional grounds.
While the Manhattan District Attorney’s office did not comment, Merchan’s ruling aligned with a prior federal court decision that deemed the hush money payments a private matter, unrelated to Trump’s presidential duties.
Trump is set to begin his presidency on January 20, marking a historic moment as he becomes the first former president convicted of a felony to be elected to the office. His legal team has continuously sought to have the conviction overturned since his election win last month, leading to an indefinite delay in sentencing.
Prosecutors have suggested several measures to uphold the conviction, including pausing the case until Trump’s term ends in 2029, ensuring no jail time, or concluding the case with acknowledgment of the conviction without sentencing, akin to procedures followed when a defendant dies post-conviction.
Trump’s legal team dismissed these proposals as “absurd,” maintaining their call for immediate dismissal to prevent disruptions to the presidency.
Trump faced four indictments last year, with the hush money case being the only one to proceed to trial. Following his election, two federal cases against him were dropped by special counsel Jack Smith, and a state case in Georgia is largely on hold. Trump continues to deny all allegations.
