A federal judge has rejected former President Donald Trump's bid to transfer his New York criminal hush money case, which resulted in his conviction, to federal court. This marks the second time Judge Alvin Hellerstein has denied Trump's request to have his case heard in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Hellerstein stated that Trump waited too long to pursue the transfer after his conviction in May 2024. Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records in the New York State Supreme Court. These charges stemmed from a hush money payment made to influence pornographic actress Stormy Daniels to remain silent about her claims of an affair with Trump prior to the 2016 election.
"He cannot play one court against another; he cannot seek victory in one court, and then, when it becomes apparent that the court will rule against him, seek to remove his case to another court," Hellerstein declared in his ruling on Friday.
The judge further explained that Trump lacked legal standing to remove the case from state court after his conviction and sentencing. Hellerstein also concluded that the evidence presented during the trial did not violate presidential immunity and that Trump had failed to demonstrate that his prosecution by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office was related to his actions as president.
English Translation:
A federal judge on Friday rejected an effort by President Donald Trump to transfer to federal court the New York state criminal hush money case that ended with his conviction.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein's ruling was the second time he had denied Trump's request that his criminal case be handled in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Hellerstein said that Trump had waited too long after his May 2024 conviction to seek removal of the case to federal court.
Trump was convicted of crimes of falsifying business records in Manhattan state Supreme Court related to a hush money payment to keep porn star Stormy Daniels quiet before the 2016 election about her claims of having had sex with him.
"He cannot play one court against another; he cannot seek victory in one court, and then, when it becomes apparent that the court will rule against him, seek to remove his case to another court," Hellerstein said in his ruling Friday.
The judge also said Trump had no legal grounds to remove the case from state court after he was convicted and sentenced.
Hellerstein also wrote that the evidence introduced at trial did not infringe on presidential immunity, and that Trump had not demonstrated that he was prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for conduct related to his having been president.
