President-elect Donald Trump has asked the US Supreme Court to intervene and cancel his upcoming ruling in the New York hush money case scheduled for Friday (January 10).
TriumphNew York’s legal team appealed to the Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 8) after New York courts refused to delay Judge Juan M. Merchán’s sentencing. Merchan, who supervised Trump’s trial and conviction last May for 34 felonies related to falsifying business records, has He indicated that he will not impose prison sentences, fines or probation.
TriumphTrump’s lawyers argue that an earlier Supreme Court ruling granting presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution should apply to his case.
Although the ruling concerned a different matter, they maintain that it involves some of the evidence used in the silent money test should have been protected by presidential immunity. Merchan, however, disagrees with this interpretation.
The judges requested a response from prosecutors by Thursday morning.
Trump’s legal team argued that his sentencing should be postponed while he appeals his conviction, citing the potential for “grave injustice and harm” to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government.
The emergency motion was filed by attorneys John Sauer, Trump’s pick for attorney general, and Todd Blanche, nominee for second in command at the Justice Department.
Their filing maintains that the New York trial court “lacks authority” to proceed with sentencing or any other criminal proceedings against Trump until his appeal, which raises significant claims of presidential immunity, is resolved, possibly through a review by of the Supreme Court.
Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, asked in a statement that the case be dismissed, while the former president also filed an emergency appeal to the highest court in New York.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has indicated that it will respond in court.
Trump’s convictions stemmed from accusations of trying to conceal a $130,000 payment to a porn star to maintain her silence. Stormy Daniel shortly before the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, which he denies.
Trump’s legal team says a Supreme Court ruling in a separate election interference case, which granted presidential immunity, should protect some of the evidence used in the hush money trial, including testimony from White House aides. and Trump’s social media posts. Judge Merchan disagreed, ruling that these were personal matters unrelated to presidential duties. The Supreme Court’s immunity ruling primarily concerned official actions by sitting presidents.
