Trump Faces Setback as Judge Denies Intervention Request in Hush Money Case

In a significant legal development, a federal judge has rejected former President Donald Trump's request to intervene in his New York hush money criminal case. The ruling thwarts Trump's latest bid to overturn his felony conviction and delay his sentencing, leaving the case in state court where he is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18.

Highlighting a Pivotal Moment in Trump's Legal Battles

Court Denies Trump's Intervention Attempt

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein has denied Trump's lawyers permission to file paperwork asking the U.S. District Court in Manhattan to take control of the case. The judge stated that the defense failed to satisfy the burden of proof required for a federal court to seize the case from the state court where Trump was convicted in May. This ruling maintains the state court's jurisdiction over the case, denying Trump's latest effort to shift the proceedings to the federal level.

Implications of the Ruling

The ruling leaves Trump's case firmly in the state court, where he is set to be sentenced on September 18. Trump's lawyers had sought to move the case to federal court, hoping to then seek the verdict's overturning and the case's dismissal in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling granting ex-presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts.

Judge's Rationale and Trump's Appeal Options

Hellerstein, who had previously denied Trump's request to move the case to federal court, stated that the Supreme Court's recent ruling did not affect his "previous conclusion that the hush money payments" at issue in Trump's case "were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority." The judge also sidestepped the defense's argument that Trump had been the victim of "bias, conflicts of interest, and appearances of impropriety" in the state court proceedings, stating that the federal court lacks jurisdiction to evaluate such issues. Instead, Hellerstein noted that Trump can pursue a state appeal or, after exhausting that path, seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Prosecutors' Objections and Pending Decisions

Amid the legal maneuvering, Manhattan prosecutors have raised objections to Trump's effort to delay post-trial decisions in the case while he sought federal court intervention. The prosecutors argued that the state court judge, Juan M. Merchan, has no legal obligation to hold off on post-trial decisions and wait for Hellerstein's ruling. Merchan is expected to rule on September 16 on Trump's motion to overturn the verdict, as well as on the issue of delaying sentencing until after the November election.

The Hush Money Conviction and Potential Sentencing

Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal a 0,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 presidential run. Trump has denied Daniels' claim and maintains that he did nothing wrong. Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years behind bars, though other potential sentences include probation or a fine.As the legal battle continues, the federal judge's denial of Trump's intervention request marks a significant setback for the former president's efforts to overturn his conviction and delay the proceedings. The case now remains firmly in the state court, where Trump faces the prospect of a sentencing decision in the coming weeks.