U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein on Friday denied a request from President Trump to move his New York state hush money conviction to federal court. The ruling rejects the attempt to have the 34 felony counts of falsifying business records dismissed based on presidential immunity grounds.
The case involves a 2024 conviction related to a $130,000 payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. In July 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that presidents and former presidents possess immunity for official acts and that such acts cannot be used as evidence for unofficial conduct. Following a directive from the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last November to reconsider the matter, Judge Hellerstein reviewed whether the evidence involved official duties.
Judge Hellerstein wrote that the payment and subsequent cover-up did not fall within the "outer perimeter" of official presidential responsibilities. He also found that the legal team's two-month delay in seeking federal intervention after the Supreme Court ruling was a "strategic decision" that did not establish "good cause" for a late filing. A spokesperson for Mr. Trump’s legal team characterized the ruling as "baseless and lawless" and stated they would file an appeal.
Judge Hellerstein's determination suggests that personal financial transactions and related record-keeping, even if involving White House staff as witnesses, are considered private conduct. This distinction will be a central point of argument as the case moves to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where the legal team aims to have the Manhattan District Attorney's case overturned.
For the public and the legal system, this decision maintains the status quo of the New York judicial proceedings. The next steps involve a two-track legal effort: the pending state court appellate process and the newly announced federal appeal. While the Trump legal team argues that the Manhattan prosecution is a "Witch Hunt" and a "weaponization" of the law, the court's refusal to seize control of the case ensures that the legal battle over the $130,000 payment will continue to be litigated in multiple jurisdictions.
Mr. Trump’s legal team notified the court on Friday afternoon that they are appealing the ruling. State prosecutors did not provide an immediate response to the decision. No specific dates for the next appellate hearings were reported.