Judge Denies Trump’s Request to Move Criminal Case to Federal Court
The New York Times
Judge Alvin Hellerstein said that the Supreme Court’s finding that presidents enjoy immunity does not apply in the state hush-money case — in which Donald Trump was already convicted.
A federal judge in Manhattan denied an effort by Donald J. Trump to move his already adjudicated state criminal case to the federal courts on Tuesday, rejecting his claims of bias against him as well as his claims of presidential immunity.
In late May, a jury convicted the former president on 34 felony counts of falsifying records to cover up hush-money payments to a porn star, Stormy Daniels, who had threatened to go public with her account of an affair. A state judge, Juan M. Merchan, has scheduled his sentencing for Sept. 18, though Mr. Trump has asked him to delay it until after the presidential election.
In a four-page decision on Monday, Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of Federal Court in Manhattan said he could not evaluate Mr. Trump’s claims of bias, saying those were issues for the state courts. But he said that Mr. Trump’s claims of immunity for official acts — based on a recent Supreme Court decision affirming such protection — were irrelevant in this case.
He noted that “hush-money payments were private, unofficial acts, outside the bounds of executive authority.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Minh Quang Pham was accused of plotting a suicide bombing at Heathrow Airport in London in support of Al Qaeda’s Yemen branch.
Civic leaders in the region believe that side efforts are necessary to rebuild after the wildfires. They just can’t settle on which one.
Some lawmakers, including two who are facing the mayor in the June Democratic primary in New York City, challenged his credibility and accomplishments.
Efforts by the administration to cut diversity efforts and foreign aid have upended campuses. But many university leaders seem wary of provoking a president who has glorified retribution.
Washington makes money available to the states to help young people with disabilities enter the work force. New Jersey has the worst record of helping connect families with such help.
The company asked state regulators to approve a 22 percent increase on average.
Joseph Lynskey was shoved into the path of an oncoming train and survived. On Monday, he thanked the firefighters who rescued him.
A new superintendent is trying to improve Houston’s public schools through strictly structured teaching. The district says it’s working. Many educators and parents hate it.
Andean Medjedovic, a former graduate student, is on the run.
Preliminary data from the first few weeks of New York City’s tolling plan show a possible uptick in traffic in the neighborhood.
The $600,000 settlement is the latest in a series of lawsuits alleging excessive force by Mr. Chauvin, the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd.
The decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status for more than 300,000 people signals that President Trump will continue to dismantle a program that aims to protect migrants from potentially dangerous countries.
Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has not entered the race for mayor of New York City. But private planning suggests he is laying the groundwork to do so.