New York appellate justices hear Trump bid to overturn hush money conviction

A five-judge New York appellate panel heard arguments Thursday on President Donald Trump's challenge to his 2024 felony conviction for falsifying business records.

• Trump's lawyer Robert Giuffra argued that federal election law preempts state law and that the conviction should be reversed.
• Manhattan prosecutors argued the prosecution concerned falsified business records, not campaign contributions, and that federal campaign finance law did not preempt it.
• Trump was convicted on 34 counts in May 2024 and sentenced in January 2025 to an unconditional discharge.
• A federal judge declined in August to move the case to federal court; arguments on that appeal are scheduled for November 16.