GUILTY NY - Ex-President Donald Trump, charged with 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records, Apr 2023, Trial 25 Mar 2024 #4

[Sundog]

Associated Press
Wed 29 Jan 2025 17.26 GMT

Trump will not be able to pardon himself. Trump’s case was tried in state court, but presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes.

Donald Trump appeals his New York hush-money conviction

President seeks to overturn conviction of falsifying records in alleged scheme to hide payment to adult film actor

www.theguardian.com

He doesn't need to. The case will be overturned on appeal. JMO

 

[Deleted member 39678]

He doesn't need to. The case will be overturned on appeal. JMO

No doubt about that in my mind.

 

[sds71]

Donald Trump on Monday asked a New York appeals court to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush money case.

Trump Argues in Formal Appeal That His Conviction Was ‘Fatally Marred’

In 2024, a jury found that Donald J. Trump approved a scheme to falsify business records to conceal a hush-money payment to a porn star. He became the first felon president.

www.nytimes.com

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

“This is the most politically charged prosecution in our Nation’s history,” wrote his lawyers, a team from Sullivan & Cromwell LLP.

“This case should never have seen the inside of a courtroom, let alone resulted in a conviction,” they continued. “This Court should now reverse.”
(..)
Trump separately asked for the case to be transferred to federal court in June. The request is still pending, but if the federal appeals court rules in his favor, it could allow Trump to bring the case before the U.S. Supreme Court — which has delivered several wins for him — and ask it to reverse his criminal conviction.

Trump Formally Appeals New York Hush Money Conviction

Trump became the first convicted felon to be president upon his inauguration earlier this year.

www.huffpost.com

 

[SouthAussie]

Sullivan & Cromwell are representing Trump in his appeal of the $500 million civil fraud judgment and for the hush money conviction. Maybe they are his general appeals lawyers (now) in NY.

Trump's Big Law attorneys say his hush-money criminal conviction should be tossed because of presidential immunity


Sullivan & Cromwell also spruik Trump's movements on their website. Not sure why. Seems a bit of an odd thing for a legal firm to do.

SULLIVAN & CROMWELL

 

[anneg]

Sullivan & Cromwell are representing Trump in his appeal of the $500 million civil fraud judgment and for the hush money conviction. Maybe they are his general appeals lawyers (now) in NY.

Trump's Big Law attorneys say his hush-money criminal conviction should be tossed because of presidential immunity


Sullivan & Cromwell also spruik Trump's movements on their website. Not sure why. Seems a bit of an odd thing for a legal firm to do.

Eg:

S&C Tariffs Tracker (Updated) – U.S. Announces Asia Trade Breakthroughs, Other Developments | Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

The Trump administration issued several new announcements relating to tariffs and international trade including new trade deals with countries in Asia.

www.sullcrom.com

More: SULLIVAN & CROMWELL

I had to look up "spruik"!

 

[Lilibet]

I had to look up "spruik"!

Me too! I thought it was a misprint.

https://www.superlinguo.com/post/167169630205/spruiking-this-good-aussie-word

A spruiker is someone who holds forth in public, particularly with a bit of flair, and often in an attempt to get you to part with your money. For many Australian English speakers this word is common enough that a definition is unnecessary. This word is, however, basically unknown beyond Australia and New Zealand.

 

[anneg]

Me too! I thought it was a misprint.

https://www.superlinguo.com/post/167169630205/spruiking-this-good-aussie-word

A spruiker is someone who holds forth in public, particularly with a bit of flair, and often in an attempt to get you to part with your money. For many Australian English speakers this word is common enough that a definition is unnecessary. This word is, however, basically unknown beyond Australia and New Zealand.

So did I, but I thought I'd check! I also wondered if it could be a Dutch word but couldn't think of any reason for Australians to use a Dutch word.

 

[Sillybilly]

Okay folks, many posts have been removed that have nothing to do with the case at hand.

It is time to forego the back and forth political barbs and get back to discussing THIS CASE or we're going to start issuing Time Outs !!

Thank you so much for your cooperation

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Manhattan DA opposes Trump's attempt to move hush money appeal to federal court

The judge was ordered to take a second look after previously blocking the move.

abcnews.go.com

Manhattan DA opposes Trump's attempt to move hush money appeal to federal court​

 

[Niner]

Manhattan DA opposes Trump's attempt to move hush money appeal to federal court

The judge was ordered to take a second look after previously blocking the move.

abcnews.go.com

Manhattan DA opposes Trump's attempt to move hush money appeal to federal court​

Thanks for posting this! Here are my notes from the article:

1/7/26 Update: The Manhattan DA's office says a federal judge should once again reject Trump's attempt to move his criminal hush money case into federal court because the accusation of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to silence a porn actress was "based on wholly private, unofficial conduct." The argument came in a new court filing Wednesday. The judge, Alvin Hellerstein, previously turned down Trump's attempt to move the case, but was ordered in November, 2026 by a federal appeals court to take a second look. Hellerstein is the same judge assigned to the narco-terrorism conspiracy case against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. "Time has not improved defendant's arguments," assistant DA John Hughes wrote in the filing Wednesday. "This Court already found no good cause for defendant to remove this case a second time. It should reach the same conclusion again." Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge a year ago -- allowing him to avoid prison, fines or probation but cementing the conviction -- and prosecutors said the "advanced stage" of the case weighs against moving it into federal court. Trump cannot pardon himself for a state conviction. Prosecutors also argued the state charges were based on private conduct before Trump was elected. "The Second Circuit has now confirmed that federal-officer removal requires a connection between the charged criminal conduct & an act under color of office, and there was no such connection here," Hughes said.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Trump tries a third time to move hush-money case to federal court in bid to get conviction tossed

The president was found guilty in state court in May 2024. The federal judge who denied Trump’s previous requests to move the case said he would issue a decision soon.

www.nbcnews.com

A federal judge tangled with an attorney for President Donald Trump on Wednesday and appeared skeptical of his arguments in a bid to erase Trump’s 2024 hush-money conviction.

Trump’s personal attorneys at the time, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, made a strategic and fatal mistake in July 2024 by going to the trial judge for relief in the hush-money case following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling giving Trump immunity rather than going directly to federal court, Judge Alvin Hellerstein said at a hearing that lasted more than three hours in U.S. District Court in lower Manhattan.

Trump waited 'too long' to seek moving hush money conviction to federal court, judge says

President Trump waited "too long" after the Supreme Court's presidential immunity decision to try and move his hush money case into federal court, a judge said Wednesday.

abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump waited "too long" after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 decision on presidential immunity to try and move his criminal hush money case from New York into federal court, a federal judge said Wednesday -- though he did not make a final decision on the matter.

Trump cannot pardon himself on a state conviction but his attorneys said his aim is to get the case into the federal appellate system and ultimately in front of the Supreme Court as quickly as possible.

 

[Niner]

Okay - I shall update my notes on this case.... and shorten it up a bit!

Wednesday, February 4th:
*Oral Arguments [Appeal] (@ am ET) – NY - *Donald John Trump (76/now 79) was indicted (3/30/23), formally arrested, charged & arraigned (4/4/23) with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the 1st degree & conspiracy in connection with hush money payments to two women [Stephanie Clifford aka adult actor Stormy Daniels & former Playboy model Karen McDougal] before the 2016 presidential election. Plead not guilty. Warrant vacated, released on own recognizance. New York County
New York: Submitting false invoices or checks. All 34 counts against Trump are felony charges (class E) instead of misdemeanors.
Trial began on 4/15/24 with jury selection & ended on 4/19/24. 12 jurors & 6 alternates. [Jurors: 7 men & 5 women/6 Alternates: 5 women & 1 man].
Trial began on 4/22/24 & ended on 5/28/24 with closing arguments. Prosecutors rested their case on 5/20/24. Defense began their case on 5/20/24 & ended on 5/21/24.
Verdict Watch: Jury deliberations Day 1 (5/29/24) started at 11:37am to 4:06pm. Total: 4 hours 30 minutes (includes 1 hour for lunch but deliberating). Day 2 (5/30/24) started at 11:17am to 4:30pm. Total: 5 hours & 15 minutes.
Total Deliberations: ~9 hours & 45 minutes. Verdict: Guilty on all 34 felony charges.
New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Marchan presiding. Manhattan Attorney General Alvin Bragg. Prosecutors are Susan Hoffinger, Joshua Steinglass & Matthew Colangelo. Defense attorneys Todd Blanche, Emil Bove, Susan Necheles & Gedalia Stern.
Appeal: Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein. Steven Wu [representing Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg]. Defense attorney Jeffrey Wall.
Investigation & court info from 3/30/23 thru 4/12/24 & Jury Selection Days 1-4 (4/15-4/19/24) & Trial Day 1-19 (4/22-5/30/24) & Jury Deliberations Day 1-2 (5/29-30/24) & thru 1/7/25 reference post #788 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...s-apr-2023-trial-25-mar-2024-4.713952/page-40
1/9/25 Update: The U.S. Supreme Court will not block tomorrow's sentencing, in a 5-4 vote. "Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito & Neil Gorsuch would have granted Trump's application for a postponement of sentencing, the majority wrote." The decision means a sentencing hearing scheduled for Friday, 1/10/25 can go ahead as planned.
1/10/25 Update: Judge Juan Merchan issued a sentence of “unconditional discharge”, meaning the president-elect will be released without fine, imprisonment or probation supervision for his conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. While the sentence makes Trump a convicted felon, he will face no penalty other than this legal designation. Trump appeared virtually for sentencing & is now a convicted felon.
1/12/25 Update: Now that Trump has been sentenced, the New Jersey attorney general's office stated they will now proceed in determining if the president-elect is qualified to continue holding an interest in the liquor licenses for Trump National Golf Club in Colts Neck & the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. The NJ officials said that even though the licenses are in DTJr's name, that doesn't protect the licenses from the president-elect's new adjudicated felon status - because he still directly benefits from them.
1/22/25 Update: Next payment [$375] due hearing on 3/10/25 @ 9am. [Mandatory Surcharge ($300.00), Crime Victim Assistance Fee ($25.00) & fee DA ($50.00).
1/29/25 Update: Trump's lawyers on Wednesday formally notified a New York state court of Trump's intent to appeal his criminal conviction on charges stemming from hush money paid to a porn star. In the notice, Trump's lawyers said they would appeal both the jury's May 30, 2024, guilty verdict & Justice Juan Merchan's Jan. 10, 2025, sentence of unconditional discharge to a mid-level state appeals court. The sentence, imposed just days before Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration to a second White House term, meant he will face no jail time or other legal punishment, but that a former judgment of guilt would be placed on his record.
10/27/25 Update: Trump asked a New York appeals court to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush money case. In a 96-page filing, Trump’s lawyers relied on many of the same arguments that Trump previously made before, during & immediately following the 2024 trial, including that the conviction should be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity & that the judge who oversaw the trial should have recused himself because he made political contributions. The appeal is just one of Trump’s attempts to overturn his conviction last May of 34 counts of business fraud for his effort to conceal a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. He has separately asked a federal appeals court to transfer his state criminal case to federal court. Such a move would pave the way for Trump to eventually ask the Supreme Court to erase his criminal record by tossing his conviction on presidential immunity grounds. Late last year, the trial judge, Justice Juan Merchan, rejected the notion that the immunity ruling applied to the evidence used in the case, finding that evidence at issue related not to Trump’s official acts, but instead to his private conduct — specifically, his effort to conceal a hush money payment to Daniels.
1/7/26 Update: The Manhattan DA's office says a federal judge should once again reject Trump's attempt to move his criminal hush money case into federal court because the accusation of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to silence a porn actress was "based on wholly private, unofficial conduct." The argument came in a new court filing Wednesday. The judge, Alvin Hellerstein, previously turned down Trump's attempt to move the case, but was ordered in November, 2026 by a federal appeals court to take a second look. Hellerstein is the same judge assigned to the narco-terrorism conspiracy case against deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. "Time has not improved defendant's arguments," assistant DA John Hughes wrote in the filing Wednesday. "This Court already found no good cause for defendant to remove this case a second time. It should reach the same conclusion again." Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge a year ago -- allowing him to avoid prison, fines or probation but cementing the conviction -- and prosecutors said the "advanced stage" of the case weighs against moving it into federal court. Trump cannot pardon himself for a state conviction. Prosecutors also argued the state charges were based on private conduct before Trump was elected. "The Second Circuit has now confirmed that federal-officer removal requires a connection between the charged criminal conduct & an act under color of office, and there was no such connection here," Hughes said.
2/4/26 Update: Appeal: Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein tangled with defense attorney Jeffrey Wall for Trump on Wednesday & appeared skeptical of his arguments in a bid to erase Trump’s 2024 hush-money conviction. Trump waited "too long" after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 decision on presidential immunity to try & move his criminal hush money case from New York into federal court, Judge Hellerstein said Wednesday -- though he did not make a final decision on the matter. Trump’s personal attorneys at the time, Todd Blanche & Emil Bove, made a strategic 7 fatal mistake in July 2024 by going to the trial judge for relief in the hush-money case following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling giving Trump immunity rather than going directly to federal court, Judge Hellerstein said at a hearing that lasted more than three hours in U.S. District Court in lower Manhattan. Trump cannot pardon himself on a state conviction but his attorneys said his aim is to get the case into the federal appellate system & ultimately in front of the Supreme Court as quickly as possible. Hellerstein has twice denied Trump’s efforts to move the case to federal court. The first effort was after Trump’s March 2023 indictment & the second followed his May 2024 conviction & the Supreme Court ruling that presidents & former presidents cannot be prosecuted for official acts. In his second decision denying Trump's request, Hellerstein said that his lawyers had failed to meet the high burden of proof for changing jurisdiction & that his conviction for falsifying business records involved his personal life, not official actions that the Supreme Court ruled are immune from prosecution.