The U.S. Supreme Court has declined President-elect Donald Trump's final attempt to halt his sentencing in the criminal hush-money case set for Friday. The Court rejected Trump’s appeal, which sought to determine whether he was entitled to an automatic stay of sentencing, with justices ruling 5-4 against him.
Trump was found guilty of falsifying records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016, categorizing the payments as legal expenses. Justice Juan Merchan, overseeing the case, has indicated he will not consider a jail sentence for Trump, a move Trump later referred to as a “disgrace” but acknowledged the Court’s decision as “fair.”
Despite his objections, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Justice Merchan’s involvement in the case, calling it politically motivated. On his Truth Social platform, he criticized the ruling, calling it part of the ongoing “Witch Hunts” against him.
The Supreme Court’s decision saw two conservative justices, John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett, align with the three liberal justices to deny Trump's request for a delay, while Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented. Notably, Alito faced scrutiny after speaking with Trump a day before the ruling.
Three lower New York courts had also rejected Trump’s attempts to delay the sentencing before the Supreme Court issued its final decision, permitting the sentencing to proceed as planned. The Court ruled that Trump's concerns could be addressed during an appeal and stated the burden of attending the sentencing was minimal.
Trump’s legal team had further asked the Court to determine whether presidents-elect have immunity from criminal prosecution. Manhattan prosecutors argued against this request, citing public interest in holding Trump accountable.
Initially set for July 2024, Trump’s sentencing was postponed multiple times, but Justice Merchan confirmed the new date for January 10, just days before Trump’s anticipated re-inauguration. Despite Trump's legal team’s continued efforts to prevent the proceedings, New York courts dismissed each appeal, culminating in the Supreme Court’s decision.
The legal battle also saw a setback for Trump in Georgia, where a federal appeals court rejected his bid to block the release of a portion of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report related to Trump’s alleged role in attempting to alter the 2020 election outcome.
As the legal challenges continue, Trump’s legal team remains focused on securing immunity claims for presidents-elect, despite opposition from legal experts and prosecutors.
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