Trump Requests Supreme Court Intervention to Delay Hush Money Sentencing
President-elect Donald Trump is seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court to delay his upcoming sentencing for his involvement in a hush money scandal. This move comes after a New York appeals court judge rejected his plea to postpone the sentencing indefinitely.
Legal Battle Escalates
Trump’s legal team filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court early Wednesday following the denial from the New York appeals court. In their filing, Trump’s attorneys emphasized the need for an immediate stay of proceedings in the New York trial court to prevent potential harm to the presidency and federal government operations.
Sentencing Details
The presiding judge in the trial court, Justice Juan Merchan, has signaled that he does not intend to impose a jail sentence on Trump and is open to allowing virtual attendance at the sentencing. Despite this assurance, Trump’s lawyers argue that the sentencing would impose burdens, disruptions, stigma, and distractions on the president-elect as he fulfills his duties.
Response from Prosecutors
A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who led the prosecution against Trump, stated that they would present their response in court filings. Meanwhile, Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, asserted that the president-elect is seeking rectification of what he perceives as unjust actions by the New York courts in what he describes as a ‘Witch Hunt’ by the Manhattan D.A.
Background on the Case
Last May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty on 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records linked to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was allegedly intended to suppress reports of a sexual encounter between Trump and Daniels at a golf tournament in 2006, an allegation that Trump vehemently denies.
