A New York judge ruled on Monday (December 16) that President-elect Donald Trump does not have presidential immunity in his conviction on 34 felony counts related to a hush money payment. Judge Juan Merchan concluded that the case did not involve Trump's official acts as president, rejecting the argument that the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity should apply.
Trump was convicted in May for falsifying business records over payments to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who reimbursed a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was made to prevent Daniels from speaking about an alleged affair with Trump before the 2016 election, an affair Trump denies.
Merchan's decision focused on the unofficial nature of Trump's conduct, stating that the evidence presented by the Manhattan District Attorney's office was unrelated to Trump's presidential duties. The judge emphasized that even if some evidence was mistakenly admitted, it was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt.
Trump’s lawyers plan to appeal the decision.