Trump loses bid to overturn conviction in hush money suit

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump on Dec 16 lost a bid to overturn his criminal conviction stemming from hush money paid to a porn star, in the light of the US Supreme Court's July ruling recognising immunity from prosecution for a president's official acts.

- 

Justice Juan Merchan's denial of Trump's motion to dismiss the New York state case forecloses one avenue for the Republican President-elect to enter the White House on Jan 20 for his second four-year term without the stain of a criminal conviction.

Trump's lawyers are separately trying to have the verdict overturned on separate grounds in the wake of his defeat of Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris in the Nov 5 election.

Justice Merchan has not yet ruled on that motion.

In the Dec 16 41-page decision, the judge sided with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, which brought the case.

The prosecutors argued that their case dealt with Trump's personal conduct, not his official acts as president.