What’s new
A New York judge refused Monday to overturn President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Why it matters
The decision by Justice Juan Merchan, who sits on the New York Supreme Court, centers on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision regarding presidential immunity.
After the Supreme Court issued its immunity ruling earlier this year, Trump’s lawyers argued that prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office presented evidence at his secret trial that was protected by the ruling. of immunity from the Supreme Court.
Evan Vucci/AP
But prosecutors said the high court’s decision had “no bearing” on the hush money case since it concerned Trump’s conduct before he was elected president.
Merchan sided with prosecutors Monday, writing that the conviction was about Trump’s personal conduct and not his actions as president.
“The People’s use of these acts as evidence of decidedly personal acts of falsification of business records presents no danger of intrusion upon the authority and function of the Executive Branch,” Merchan wrote in his Monday opinion.
What you need to know
Trump was convicted in May of nearly three dozen counts of falsifying business records in connection with a secret $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, made shortly before the election Americans of 2016.
The jurors returned their verdict after deliberating for less than ten hours spread over two days.
This story is breaking and will be updated as more information becomes available.
