Judge denies Trump bid to move hush money case to federal court

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that former President Trump may not request to move his hush money criminal case to federal court after failing to show “good cause,” meaning the case will remain in New York state court.

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein said in a four-page order that the two reasons Trump offered as to why his case should be removed — that New York courts were biased against him and that his trial judge did not adequately review the issue of presidential immunity — fall short.

Hellerstein said that district courts do not have jurisdiction to consider alleged bias against Trump in New York state courts, contending that’s an issue for state appellate courts to consider. That means Trump’s second argument, on presidential immunity, is the only one that “deserves attention,” he said.