President-elect Donald Trump has turned to the Supreme Court in an effort to delay his upcoming criminal hush money sentencing in New York, slated for Friday. His defense lawyers' arguments center on the potential harm this case presents to "the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government," as obtained from ABC7NY. Trump's team has also posed the question of whether presidential immunity, including that traditionally reserved for a sitting president, should be extended to him as a president-elect.
This request follows the rejection by a New York appeals court to delay the sentencing scheduled for Jan. 10. Trump's legal argument is being met with skepticism as the Supreme Court does not usually engage with random interlocutory appeals, even those submitted by a president-elect. A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has indicated in a statement to CBS News that their office will "respond in court papers."
The legal maneuvers stem from Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records regarding a hush money payment before the 2016 presidential election. Trump's lawyers argue that this conviction was part of a "politically motivated prosecution" and was based on the testimony of a "disgraced, disbarred serial-liar former attorney," a statement from Trump's filing revealed by ABC7NY.
Last year, the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of presidential immunity, suggesting a former president could indeed be immune from criminal liability pertaining to official acts. It is this ruling that Trump's team is leveraging to argue for his immunity through the transition period as well. The implications of the Supreme Court's decision could potentially widen the scope of executive authority temporarily, granting a private citizen privileges usually reserved for sitting presidents.
In a development that underscores the exceptional nature of the case, Justice Sonia Sotomayor has given Manhattan prosecutors until tomorrow at 10 a.m. to respond to Trump's bid, as reported by CBS News. The embattled president-elect continues to proclaim that the Supreme Court's intervention is necessary to avoid the complications posed by his sentencing as he prepares to undertake the presidency once again.
