Trump bashes ‘psychotic’ decision by Judge Merchan to hold him accountable in hush money case

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After the judge overseeing his hush money trial refused to throw out Donald Trump’s conviction, the president-elect blasted the order as “completely illegal” and “psychotic.” Trump’s attorneys pushed the judge to overturn a jury’s verdict and dismiss the case, which they argued was compromised by evidence that should be shielded under the scope of the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential “immunity.” On Monday, New York Justice Juan Merchan on Monday rejected the attempt, arguing that evidence surrounding Trump’s falsification of business records to cover up hush money payments to an adult film star has nothing to do with the “official duties” of the presidency that can be shielded from prosecution. Trump called Monday’s decision a “completely illegal, psychotic order” from a “deeply conflicted, corrupt, biased, and incompetent” judge, who “completely disrespected the United States Supreme Court, and its Historic Decision on Immunity.” But “even without Immunity, this illegitimate case is nothing but a Rigged Hoax,” Trump wrote on Truth Social Tuesday. open image in gallery A court sketch depicts New York Justice Juan Merchan during Donald Trump’s hush money trial Trump — who refused to testify during his weeks-long trial in Manhattan, where he was surrounded by at least three criminal defense attorneys — baselessly claimed he is the “only Political Opponent in American History not allowed to defend myself.” The president-elect called Merchan “far worse” and “more corrupt” than special counsel Jack Smith, who brought two federal criminal indictments against him for Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and for his withholding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago compound. Trump’s reimbursements to his then-attorney Michael Cohen, who paid off Daniels, were falsely recorded in accounting records as “legal expenses.” open image in gallery Trump argued the evidence in his hush money case should be shielded under the Supreme Court’s scope of presidential ‘immunity’ Throughout the case, Trump repeatedly lashed out at the judge and his family members, as well as members of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and other lawyers, prosecutors and judges involved in the criminal and civil cases against him and his allies.