Geline Salac

Article (news)

Donald Trump

Agence France-Presse

<p>NEW YORK - A New York judge ruled Monday against a bid by US President-elect Donald Trump to have his conviction for covering up hush money payments to a porn star thrown out on immunity grounds.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/7/the-porn-star-and-the-president-stormy-daniels-testifies-2325">The porn star and the president: Stormy Daniels testifies</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/30/donald-trump-convicted-on-all-charges-in-hush-money-trial-544">Guilty: Trump becomes first former US president convicted of felony crimes</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/5/31/here-s-what-you-should-know-about-donald-trump-s-conviction-in-his-hush-money-trial-944">Here&#x27;s what you should know about Donald Trump&#x27;s conviction in his hush money trial</a></div><p>Judge Juan Merchan said in the ruling that a Supreme Court decision granting presidents sweeping immunity for official acts did not apply as testimony at the trial related &quot;entirely to unofficial conduct entitled to no immunity protections.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Defendant&#x27;s motion to dismiss the indictment and vacate the jury verdict... is denied.&quot;</p><p>Monday&#x27;s ruling raises the prospect that Trump could become the first president to enter the White House with a felony conviction, pending his appeal against the jury&#x27;s verdict.</p><p>Trump has sought to have the case moved to federal court, which would give him the power to end the case himself as soon as he retook the presidency.</p><p>He has also challenged the conviction on a number of technical grounds, including alleging juror misconduct.</p><p>Trump has long opposed the criminal process brought against him after he paid a porn star for her silence over an alleged sexual encounter, and then covered up the payments in an effort to boost his chances in 2016&#x27;s election.</p><p>The judge in the only criminal case against Trump that has gone to trial had indefinitely postponed Trump&#x27;s sentencing at a hearing on November 22, given his win in the November 5 presidential election.</p><p>Trump&#x27;s legal team had cited a landmark July ruling from the Supreme Court that gives US presidents sweeping immunity for official acts committed while in office as justification for their request to throw out this conviction.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CrsNvRuxLq4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;A stay of proceedings?&#x27; -</strong></div><p>Prosecutors argued that Trump&#x27;s bid to have the case thrown out was &quot;well beyond&quot; what was needed to protect the presidency.</p><p>But prosecutors accepted Trump should receive special treatment to prevent the case interfering with his second White House stint.</p><p>&quot;Multiple accommodations well short of dismissal... would satisfy that objective, including a stay of proceedings during his term in office,&quot; the prosecutor&#x27;s office said ahead of Merchan&#x27;s ruling.</p><p>Prosecutors convinced a jury during the hush money trial that Trump&#x27;s payments were made to cover up a scandal that would have hurt his 2016 campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton, whom he ultimately beat.</p><p>Last month, Trump&#x27;s lawyers separately asked New York Attorney General Letitia James to quash a civil judgment against him for fraud and a $464 million penalty &quot;for the greater good of the country&quot; as he prepares to return to power.</p><p>In a letter to Trump&#x27;s lawyer John Sauer published on social media, New York Deputy Solicitor General Judith Vale denied the request.</p><p>gw/bjt</p><p>© Agence France-Presse</p>

Judge rules against Trump bid to throw out hush money conviction

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Judge rules against Trump bid to throw out hush money conviction

Agence France-Presse

Published Dec 17, 2024 09:46 AM PHT

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hush money trial

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