Judge Juan Merchan wrote Monday that Donald Trump’s hush money conviction should not be rejected due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, ruling that evidence presented by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office was not related to Trump’s official actions as president.
The judge, however, did not rule Monday on a motion by Trump’s lawyers to overturn the conviction because Trump has now been elected president. Instead, its 41-page ruling focused on the issue of presidential immunity.
Merchan wrote that the evidence challenged by Trump’s lawyers concerned “entirely unofficial conduct” and should not receive any immunity protection.
Trump’s transition team responded to the decision Monday, saying in a statement that it violated the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity and that Trump should be allowed to carry out his duties as president “unhindered by the remains of this witch hunt or any other witch hunt.” .”
“Today’s decision by the deeply divisive Acting Judge Merchan in the Manhattan DA’s witch hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity and other long-standing case law,” transition spokesperson Steven Cheung said in the statement.
“This illegal case should never have been brought, and the Constitution requires that it be immediately dismissed, because President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and carry out the vital duties of the presidency, unimpeded by the remains of this transition, or any other, Witch Hunt. The sooner these hoaxes end, the sooner our country can unite behind President Trump for the good of all Americans,” Cheung also said.
Learn more about Merchan’s decision.