A federal judge has blocked President Trump’s latest effort to challenge his criminal conviction by shifting the case to federal court, where he could argue for presidential immunity. The ruling denies Trump’s third attempt to intervene, leaving the New York state court case intact. The charges stem from allegations tied to a 2016 payment, which Trump’s legal team had hoped to dismiss under broad executive protections. With the federal option closed, the focus now returns to the state proceedings.
A federal judge on Friday rejected President Trump’s latest bid to fight his criminal conviction outside of New York’s state courts, a strategy aimed at citing presidential immunity, under which Trump could potentially toss charges that stem from a 2016 hush money payment in the trash can. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein has denied Trump’s attempts to move to federal court three...
