Judge rejects Trump’s bid to overturn hush money conviction
A judge ruled on Monday that Donald Trump’s conviction for falsifying records to cover up a sex scandal will stand. This decision comes after Trump’s legal team argued that a recent Supreme Court ruling should nullify the verdict. They claimed the case would hinder Trump’s ability to govern during his presidency.
However, Judge Juan Merchan rejected this argument. In his 41-page ruling, he stated that Trump’s actions, which involved falsifying business records, did not interfere with the executive branch’s authority. “This is a personal matter and does not pose a danger to the presidency,” Merchan wrote.
Trump’s lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, which brought the case, suggested that there are ways to address Trump’s concerns about distractions during his presidency without overturning the conviction.
Background of the Case
The case stems from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. Daniels claimed to have had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier, though Trump denies the allegations. The payment was made to prevent Daniels from going public with her story during the election.
In May 2023, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up the payment. This marked the first time in U.S. history that a sitting or former president was convicted of a criminal offense.
Trump pleaded not guilty and labeled the case a political attack by Bragg, a Democrat, aimed at undermining his 2024 campaign.
Impact on Trump’s Presidential Bid
Despite the legal setback, Trump is set to be inaugurated as the next U.S. President on January 20, succeeding Joe Biden. Biden had defeated Trump in the 2020 elections but withdrew from the 2024 race earlier this year to support Kamala Harris. The legal battle over the hush money case will continue to be a prominent issue as Trump prepares for his second term.
