Federal Judge Denies Trump's Bid to Move Hush Money Case to Federal Court

A federal judge has rejected an attempt by former President Donald Trump to transfer his New York criminal case, related to hush money payments, to federal court. The judge, Alvin Hellerstein, stated that Trump waited too long after his conviction in May 2024 to request the case be moved to U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

This marks the second time Hellerstein has denied Trump's request. The case, which resulted in Trump's conviction for falsifying business records, concerns a payment made to silence pornographic actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election regarding their alleged affair.

"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 wrote in his ruling.

The judge also determined that Trump lacked legal grounds to remove the case from state court after his conviction and sentencing. Furthermore, Hellerstein concluded that the evidence presented during the trial did not violate presidential immunity and that Trump had not proven he was prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office due to his actions as president.

US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein on Friday denied a bid by former President Donald Trump to move his New York state criminal case, which concluded with his conviction, to federal court. This decision is the second time the judge has rejected Trump's request to have the criminal proceedings heard in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

Hellerstein cited Trump's delay in seeking the transfer after his conviction in May 2024 as a key reason for the denial. Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records in the Manhattan state Supreme Court. The charges stemmed from a hush money payment intended to prevent adult film star Stormy Daniels from speaking about an alleged affair before the 2016 presidential election.

In his ruling, Hellerstein emphasized that Trump cannot use different courts to his advantage, stating, "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."

The judge also ruled that Trump had no legal basis to transfer the case to federal court after being convicted and sentenced. Additionally, Hellerstein found that the evidence presented at trial did not encroach upon presidential immunity and that Trump had failed to demonstrate that his prosecution by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office was a result of his actions as president.