Judge Denies Trump Bid to Shift 34-Count Hush Money Case to Federal Court
Updated
Updated · CNN · Aug 28
Judge Denies Trump Bid to Shift 34-Count Hush Money Case to Federal Court
3 articles · Updated · CNN · Aug 28
Summary
Alvin Hellerstein ruled Friday that Donald Trump still cannot move his New York hush money conviction case into federal court, rejecting a path that could have eased efforts to undo the verdict.
The judge said Trump’s arguments were neither new nor legally sufficient, finding the Stormy Daniels payoff and reimbursement scheme involved private conduct rather than any official presidential act covered by immunity.
Hellerstein also said Trump waited too long to renew the removal request after the Supreme Court’s July 2024 immunity ruling, calling the delay a strategic choice rather than good cause.
Trump immediately appealed; his lawyers are separately challenging the 2024 conviction on 34 falsifying-business-records counts through New York state courts after he received an unconditional discharge.
The ruling keeps the case on its state appellate track, though Trump could still seek review from New York’s top court and ultimately the US Supreme Court.