In a significant legal development, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to postpone President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case, paving the way for his appearance in a New York courtroom on Friday.
Trump’s legal team argued that the Supreme Court of New York County wrongly refused to recognize the immunity from prosecution of the president-elect during the period of the presidential transition. Citing the court’s own ruling in July that granted him “presidential immunity,” they filed a document on Tuesday asserting that the lower court’s decision was erroneous.
The former president’s lawyers petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to immediately pause the ongoing criminal case in New York while appealing a legal issue concerning whether Trump is immune from prosecution due to his former role as president.
Despite the Supreme Court’s 6-to-3 conservative majority, the justices denied Trump’s last-minute effort to avoid criminal sentencing before the January 20 inauguration. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the legal battles surrounding the president-elect.
Trump, 78, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, is expected to appear virtually at the hearing. Legal experts suggest that he is attempting to avoid sentencing to prevent the official judgment of being a convicted felon.
In May 2024, a jury in New York found Trump guilty of all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an effort to conceal hush money payments to a porn star during his first presidential campaign in 2016.
Earlier this week, Trump’s lawyers filed a lawsuit at an appeals court in New York against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan, contesting the judge’s denial of Trump’s presidential immunity motions.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Friday morning in Lower Manhattan, with the president-elect indicating his plans to appear virtually.
“After months of delay, the sentencing will now formalize Mr. Trump’s conviction, cementing his status as the first felon to occupy the Oval Office,” commented The New York Times.
(With input from agencies)
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U.S. Supreme Court declines to halt Trump's hush money sentencing
cgtn.com
