Juan Merchan, a judge in New York, has decided that Donald Trump’s conviction for hush money is legitimate.
Trump argued that it should be dismissed in light of the US Supreme Court’s historic immunity decision, but the judge rejected his claim.
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision that presidents have immunity for official activities, Trump and his team asked Merchan to reverse his guilty conviction in New York v. Trump.
Presidents have extensive immunity from criminal prosecution for “official actions” they take while in office, according to a July ruling by the US Supreme Court.
But Merchan, who oversaw Trump’s trial, took the side of the prosecution.
According to him, unofficial conduct was the main factor in the convictions on 34 felony counts.
Trump would become the first convicted felon to hold the presidency if his historic conviction is upheld, which is currently preserved by this ruling.
Recall that Trump was convicted of falsifying corporate documents by a New York jury in May 2024.
Trump’s attempt to conceal payments to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, led to the conviction.
In order to keep quiet about a reported sexual encounter with Trump, Cohen paid out an adult film actor in 2016.
Trump has refuted any misconduct.
Justice Merchan, however, rejected Trump’s claim that the government’s case depended on information pertaining to his official duties as president, which would be protected by immunity, in his 41-page decision.
He wrote that the evidence presented throughout the trial was “entirely to unofficial conduct.”
The judge pointed out that the Supreme Court had determined in its own decision that not all of the president’s actions, including those carried out from the Oval Office, are official.
In a statement to US media, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung responded to the situation by denouncing the judgment as a clear breach of the Supreme Court’s immunity order.
“The Constitution requires that this lawless case be dismissed immediately, and it should never have been brought,” Cheung stated.