On Monday, Judge Juan Merchan ruled that Donald Trump’s hush money conviction should not be dismissed based on the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision, stating that the evidence presented by the Manhattan district attorney’s office was unrelated to Trump’s official duties as president. However, he did not address a separate motion from Trump’s legal team to dismiss the conviction due to his current status as president.
In his 41-page decision, Merchan focused on the issue of presidential immunity, stating that the evidence contested by Trump’s lawyers pertained entirely to unofficial conduct and, therefore, did not qualify for immunity protection. He further concluded that even if there was an error in introducing the contested evidence, it was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt.
Merchan reviewed testimonies from figures such as Hope Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, and Michael Cohen, which Trump’s defense argued should have been excluded due to immunity concerns. He stated that falsifying records to conceal payments was an unofficial act, and communications related to the cover-up should also be considered unofficial.
