The president-elect's legal team makes an urgent bid to postpone a crucial court proceeding in New York just days before his scheduled sentencing.
According to AP News, Donald Trump's lawyers have filed an emergency motion with the Supreme Court seeking to delay Friday's sentencing in his New York hush-money case, where he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The legal maneuver comes after New York courts rejected previous attempts to postpone the sentencing by Judge Juan M. Merchan. Trump's defense team argues that proceeding with the sentencing would improperly restrict him during his presidential transition period.
Despite Judge Merchan's indication that jail time, fines, or probation would not be imposed, Trump's attorneys contend that a felony conviction would still carry severe consequences.
The emergency motion was filed by John Sauer, Trump's choice for solicitor general, and Todd Blanche, who is positioned to become the Justice Department's second-ranking official. Their primary argument centers on a recent Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity, which they claim supports their position that Trump's New York conviction should be overturned.
Trump's legal team argues that the trial court lacks jurisdiction to proceed with sentencing until the resolution of their appeal concerning presidential immunity claims. They emphasize the potential impact on both the presidency and federal government operations.
The Manhattan district attorney's office has indicated they will respond to the emergency motion, which has been directed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who oversees appeals from New York.
The case stems from allegations that Trump attempted to conceal a $130,000 payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Trump's spokesman, Steven Cheung, dismissed the case as politically motivated, calling for its dismissal.
Trump's attorneys pointed to testimony from White House aides and social media posts made during his presidency, arguing these should have been protected under presidential immunity. However, Judge Merchan rejected this argument, determining these matters qualified as personal business rather than official presidential acts.
Trump's legal team stated:
The New York trial court lacks authority to impose sentence and judgment on President Trump — or conduct any further criminal proceedings against him— until the resolution of his underlying appeal raising substantial claims of Presidential immunity, including by review in this Court if necessary.
Trump faces this legal challenge as he prepares to return to the White House. His defense team has simultaneously petitioned New York's highest court for an emergency stay, emphasizing the urgency to prevent disruption to the presidential transition.
The stakes are particularly high as prosecutors are expected to file their response by Thursday morning. This case represents one of several legal challenges Trump faces as he navigates both his presidential transition and multiple court proceedings.
Donald Trump's attempt to delay his New York hush money case sentencing through a Supreme Court appeal marks a significant moment in his ongoing legal battles. The case, centered around allegations of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, awaits crucial decisions from both the Supreme Court and New York's highest court that could impact the scheduled Friday sentencing and potentially affect the presidential transition period.
