He who has been found guilty in the criminal courts has appealed to the Supreme Court to have his sentence not announced, which is set to take place on Friday, ten days before he is sworn in.
In their appeal document, the president-elect’s lawyers are asking for “an immediate halt” to the criminal proceedings in the New York courts, including his sentencing hearing at 9:30 a.m. on January 10. Reiterating that their client enjoys “presidential immunity” – although he has not yet been sworn in – they claim that the sentencing harms the institution of the presidency and “the operation of the federal government.”
As of Monday, Trump faced first the refusal of Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over his trial in New York, and then the rejection of his appeal to the Court of Appeals. Both times he asked that his sentence not be announced on Friday.
Trump may appear in person or via video call at the Supreme Court hearing, where the conservative justices hold a majority (6-3). However, the decision will only be symbolic, since Judge Juan Merchan has already stated that he will not impose a prison sentence or even a fine.
On May 30, 20024 Trump became the first former US president to be convicted by a criminal court. The 12 jurors found him guilty of falsifying 34 accounting documents to hide from voters that he paid adult film actress Stormy Daniels $130,000 to avoid a scandal before the 2016 presidential election. Trump, who still denies that he had an affair with Daniels, he insists it was about a political prosecution, orchestrated by his political opponents.
SOURCE: APE-ME
