Judge Juan Merchan was heaped with praise after he slapped down former President Donald Trump's presidential immunity plea claim in his criminal hush money case.
Merchan's ruling Wednesday denies Trump's request to delay the New York City criminal trial until after the Supreme Court rules on the presidential immunity argument in special counsel Jack Smith's federal election interference case, a request that baffled George Conway.
"Let’s just pause for a moment to dilate on the inanity of this motion, even apart from its untimeliness," the conservative attorney wrote in response to Merchan's ruling.
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"Trump is arguing that paying off a porn star was somehow part of his official responsibilities as President of the United States. Not only that, he’s arguing that paying off the porn star *before* he became president, and then later reimbursing the intermediary who made the payment and covering up the reimbursement on the books of his **personal, private** company, was somehow part of his official responsibilities as President of the United States."
Riffing on Merchan's note that Trump had been granted “myriad opportunities” to make this argument earlier than March 7, Conway concluded, "The motion wasn’t made earlier because it’s as demented as he is."
Legal analyst Andrew Weissmann also took to social media to share his view that Merchan's ruling made Trump's April 15 court date a certainty.
"Criminal accountability in NY is nigh," Weissmann wrote. "Donald needs to fasten his seat belt -- it's taking off."
Merchan was the target of fierce criticism from Trump's allies after the former president accused him of bias over his daughter's employment at a digital consulting firm. But after news of the justice's ruling spread, social media began to heap on the praise.
"Sanity prevails!" wrote X user Cheryl Wilson.
"CC:Aileen Cannon and the Supreme Court," quipped Copernicus Turing.
"Trump can f--- with this Judge all he wants," declared R2. "It's getting him no where."
"Merchan is doing New York proud," said X user Jeff. "Cannon should take notes."
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