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The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has opposed dismissing President-elect Donald Trump’s felony conviction for falsifying business records and instead suggests freezing the case.
Let’s bring you up to speed: Last summer, President-Elect Donald Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The payments were funneled through Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, and disguised as legal fees to conceal an alleged affair, which Trump denies. Prosecutors argued that the payments were part of an unlawful scheme to influence the election by suppressing damaging information. The conviction marked the first time a former US president faced a felony conviction, though Trump maintains his innocence and claims the charges are politically motivated.
What’s going on now: Following a request from Trump’s lawyers to dismiss his conviction, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg reiterated his opposition, arguing that no legal precedent supports dismissing a case initiated before Trump assumed presidential immunity. In a letter to Judge Juan Merchan, Bragg acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the situation and suggested that proceedings could be paused until the end of Trump’s presidential term, but the conviction itself should remain intact. Bragg pointed to the evidence presented at trial and the importance of respecting the jury’s role in the legal system.
What Trump’s lawyers are saying: Trump’s lawyers argue that the conviction should be dismissed due to the unique legal protections afforded to a sitting president and the implications of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. They claim that the case and its proceedings present “unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern” as he prepares to return to office. In a direct appeal to the court, Trump attorney Emil Bove stated, “The stay, and dismissal, are necessary to avoid unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern.”
Reaction from Trump: Trump’s campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, reacted to the news that the DA would seek to pause the case, saying, “This is a total and definitive victory for President Trump and the American People who elected him in a landslide. The Manhattan DA has conceded that this Witch Hunt cannot continue.”
