Federal judge questions Trump effort to move hush money appeal to federal court

U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein expressed deep skepticism on February 4 at a hearing over the Trump legal team's bid to transfer the New York state hush money appeal to federal court, noting Trump had sought two bites at the apple and waited beyond a customary 30-day window after the Supreme Court immunity ruling. The DOJ separately intervened in the case, urging the conviction be thrown out on immunity and evidentiary-preemption grounds. Trump's state-court appeal of his 34-count conviction for falsifying business records proceeded in parallel.