Here's How Trump's Immunity Ruling Could Impact His Hush Money Conviction

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

47% : In addition to the evidence prosecutors used, Trump could also try to claim that his reimbursement checks to Cohen -- which were paid in 2017, after he took office -- are covered by immunity.
39% : Trump has also claimed to have immunity in his federal case for allegedly withholding White House documents, because he claims to have designated documents as being "personal" while he was still president.
37% : The Times notes the judge could decide the issue would be better considered when Trump formally appeals the verdict, as the deadline for post-trial motions before Trump's sentencing has already passed.
37% : Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers insisted at trial that the payments to Cohen were correctly labeled, given that Cohen was serving as Trump's personal attorney at the time.
31% : But that could be tricky: A federal judge already ruled the checks weren't part of his official duties in July 2023, when Trump was trying to move the indictment against him to federal court.
29% : The Supreme Court's immunity ruling on Monday came after lower courts had long rejected Trump's claims of immunity -- which has become a frequent legal defense for him as litigation against the ex-president has piled up -- and Trump went to the high court after district and appeals court judges ruled against him having immunity in the federal election case.
26% : While each count Trump was convicted of is punishable by a fine or up to four years in prison, legal experts have speculated the ex-president likely won't face prison time as a first-time offender.
26% : The immunity ruling is likely to affect all four criminal cases against Trump.
25% : Trump was indicted in Manhattan in March 2023 on charges stemming from Cohen's hush money payments, and was found guilty by a jury in May following a weekslong trial.
15% : Cohen testified Trump was personally involved with the hush money and reimbursement schemes, telling the jury he could not have paid Daniels without Trump's consent.
8% : Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 right before the 2016 election to cover up her allegations of having an affair with Trump -- which the ex-president has denied -- and Trump then reimbursed Cohen through a series of checks paid throughout 2017, which prosecutors contended were falsely labeled as being for legal services.
5% : Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in the hush money case on July 11, though it remains unclear whether Merchan will order Trump to spend time in prison.

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