Trump loses again in bid to erase his hush money conviction

Key Points:

• A federal judge, Alvin K. Hellerstein, rejected Donald Trump’s latest attempt to move his hush money conviction case from New York state court to federal court, citing insufficient legal grounds and presidential immunity claims.
• The case involves Trump’s 2024 conviction for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, which the judge ruled is not covered by presidential immunity.
• This ruling marks the third time Hellerstein has blocked Trump’s efforts to transfer the case, with Trump’s legal team promptly announcing an appeal, calling the decision “baseless and lawless.”
• The judge criticized Trump’s legal strategy for delaying federal court removal and seeking dismissal in state court first, describing it as a “second bite at the apple” and a strategic choice that does not justify removal now.
• Trump is also pursuing a state court appeal of his conviction, which remains pending, while the 2nd Circuit had previously instructed Hellerstein to reconsider his denial of federal removal based on potential official act claims, which the judge found unpersuasive.