Former President Donald Trump has filed a motion to dismiss his hush money indictment in New York, arguing that prosecutors used evidence at trial that violated the Supreme Court's recent ruling on presidential immunity. Trump's legal team claims the jury's guilty verdict on 34 counts of falsifying business records should also be overturned, urging the judge to correct what they see as "injustices" in light of the high court's landmark decision.
Exposing the Flaws in the Prosecution's Case
Challenging the Use of Immune Evidence
Trump's attorneys assert that several pieces of evidence introduced by the Manhattan prosecutors at trial did not align with the Supreme Court's decision on presidential immunity. This includes testimony from former White House aides Hope Hicks and Madeleine Westerhout about their interactions with Trump while he was president, as well as testimony from Michael Cohen regarding Trump's pardon power. The attorneys argue that these elements of the prosecution's case were inappropriate and should not have been used against the former president.
Questioning the Prosecutors' Haste
The legal team also criticizes Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, the elected Democrat leading the prosecution, for dismissing Trump's initial arguments about presidential immunity violations in the case. They claim the prosecutors "scoffed with hubris" at Trump's immunity motions and rushed to trial, despite the fact that "no court has ever been faced with the question of a President's immunity from prosecution."
Seeking Dismissal on Immunity Grounds
Ultimately, Trump's attorneys argue that the "harms caused by [the prosecutors'] course of action are irreparable" and that the appropriate remedy is to dismiss the charges against the former president. They contend that the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity should have prevented the use of certain evidence and testimony, and that the trial's outcome should be overturned as a result.
Delaying the Sentencing Hearing
The request to dismiss the charges comes on the same day Trump was initially set to face sentencing, but the judge, Juan Merchan, has delayed the hearing after Trump began the process of fighting his charges on immunity grounds. Merchan has given the prosecution until July 24 to submit its responses, and he will issue a decision on whether to drop the charges against Trump on September 6.
Awaiting the Judge's Ruling
If the charges are not dismissed, Merchan has stated that he will sentence Trump on September 18, "if it is still necessary." The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the former president and the ongoing investigations into his actions while in office.
