President-elect Donald J. Trump is set to face sentencing in New York on Friday, January 10. He was found guilty in May of 2024 for falsifying records regarding payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence regarding their 2006 affair during his 2016 Presidential campaign. Earlier this month, Trump requested that the New York appeals court block criminal proceedings before his inauguration. On Tuesday, the judge declined his request.
The appellate judge overseeing the case, Juan Merchan, initially postponed the July sentencing due to the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States, which was decided on July 1. The court’s ruling established a new precedent for Presidential immunity, which Merchan wanted to consider. However, he was unwilling to push the sentencing out a second time.
Now, Trump’s legal team is arguing that he should have the right to Presidential immunity as President-elect, even though he has not yet been sworn into office. In the case that argument falls flat, they have a backup plan. Trump has now appealed to the Supreme Court to block the criminal proceedings until after his inauguration, at which point he may be able to pardon himself.
“This Court should enter an immediate stay of further proceedings in the New York trial court to prevent grave injustice and harm to the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government,” his lawyers wrote in a Wednesday filing.
A Trump spokesperson also issued a statement following Merchan’s decision to proceed with the sentencing. “The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the Constitution, and established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed,” he said.
Unless the Supreme Court agrees to take on the case within the next two days, Trump will be back in court by the end of the week, and the judge will reveal his fate.
