President Donald Trump's latest "Hail Mary" legal scheme is almost surely doomed to fail, according to one expert.
On Wednesday, Trump's lawyers filed a motion in New York federal court to remove Trump's 34 felony convictions to federal court. Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein expressed skepticism about the move because Trump's lawyers waited so long after his conviction, according to reports. He also noted the timing seemed conspicuous, given that the Supreme Court issued a ruling granting the president broad immunity before they filed the appeal.
Trump was convicted in 2024 on 34 felony counts for falsifying dozens of business records related to a hush money payment he gave former adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair they had before Trump ran for office the first time.
Michael Popok, a lawyer and host of the "The Intersection" podcast, discussed Trump's attempt to challenge his conviction in federal court in a new YouTube video.
"They're going to lose here," Popok said, adding that the move shows Trump's team believes there is a "federal defense" for the payoff.
"They're arguing on the Trump side, 'Oh, the election laws,'" Popok said. "... I just don't see how the defense works either, which is another ground to deny the removal. And if it denies the removal, the case stays in state court. And then Donald Trump's going to have to do a Hail Mary pass to the United States Supreme Court to get out from under his convictions."
"Ninety-nine percent of the conduct and activity that Donald Trump was convicted of happened before he put one foot into the White House," he added.