Trump appeals to Supreme Court to block sentencing in hush money case

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Wednesday, January 8th, 2025

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President-elect Donald Trump has requested that the U.S. Supreme Court intervene to block his upcoming sentencing in a New York state court, following his conviction for criminal charges related to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump’s legal team filed an emergency motion on Wednesday, asking the Court to stay the proceedings, citing concerns about the harm such a sentencing could cause to the institution of the presidency and federal government operations.

Trump’s conviction stems from his involvement in the $130,000 payment made by his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to silence Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Despite the conviction, Trump denies the affair and any wrongdoing.

This request comes after a New York appeals court rejected Trump’s attempt to delay sentencing, scheduled for Friday. The Supreme Court has asked prosecutors to respond by Thursday morning, indicating that the justices may expedite their decision. Trump’s legal team argued that the case should be dismissed based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling granting presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, including those made during their time in office.

Although Judge Juan Merchan has indicated he will likely refrain from imposing jail time, Trump’s lawyers stress that the case’s outcome could still harm his ability to fulfill his presidential duties. This marks the first time a U.S. president, sitting or former, has been convicted of a crime, adding significant political implications to the ongoing legal battle.