Supreme Court Refuses to Halt Trump’s Sentencing in Hush Money Case
The Supreme Court’s decision allows Trump’s sentencing in New York to proceed, despite his appeal to block it
Trump, New York, Hush Money, Supreme Court, Sentencing
Washington: So, the Supreme Court just decided not to block Trump’s sentencing in that hush money case in New York. This means he’s still on track for a hearing scheduled for Friday.
It was a close call, with a 5-4 vote. The court had given Trump some wins last year, but this time they went the other way. He’s set to take office again on January 20.
The court said the issues Trump raised could be handled later on appeal. They also mentioned that the impact of the sentencing on him isn’t too serious since he won’t be going to prison.
Interestingly, the three liberal justices sided with Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Barrett in this decision. Trump, for his part, called it a “fair decision” but hinted he might still take further action.
He mentioned he’d appeal just for the sake of it, calling the situation a disgrace. It seems he’s not backing down, even if the Supreme Court didn’t side with him this time.
While the court shot down his request to delay sentencing, Trump could still try to appeal the verdict itself. He said he respects the court’s opinion but plans to do his own thing moving forward.
When asked about the case, he painted it as politically motivated, saying the judge is just having fun with a political opponent.
His spokesperson pointed back to his comments at Mar-a-Lago, where he expressed confidence that justice would prevail in the end.
Trump’s lawyers argued that not blocking the sentencing would cause serious harm to the presidency. They claimed he should be protected by presidential immunity, similar to a ruling from last year regarding his actions after the 2020 election.
A New York appeals court judge had already decided not to block the sentencing, and the Manhattan DA argued that the public interest demands the case move forward.
Trump was found guilty in May for falsifying records related to hush money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. Daniels testified about a sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies.
His legal team also suggested that some evidence presented at trial involved actions he took while in office, which they believe should be protected.
Judge Merchan, who oversaw the trial, had postponed the initial sentencing but later ruled that Trump doesn’t have immunity until he’s officially sworn in as president.
He made it clear that the sentencing wouldn’t involve any prison time for Trump, which is a relief for him.
Despite all the legal challenges, the Supreme Court seems to be clearing a path for Trump to regain office. Their ruling on immunity was a big blow to the election interference case against him.
In another ruling last year, they also made sure states couldn’t remove him from ballots based on claims of insurrection. It’s a wild ride for Trump, that’s for sure!