On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied President-elect Donald Trump’s request to delay proceedings in his New York criminal case, clearing the way for his sentencing the next morning.
The 5-4 decision came after New York’s highest appeals court had already rejected a delay. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh favored granting Trump’s emergency stay, but the majority ruled that sentencing would not significantly impact his presidential duties, noting the sentence would not include any actual punishment.
The majority also dismissed Trump’s concerns over alleged evidentiary violations, stating these issues could be addressed on appeal. In May, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump’s legal team had argued that all proceedings should be paused as he appealed the verdict, claiming that further prosecution could harm the presidency and the federal government. They also contended that the use of presidential acts as evidence violated Trump’s immunity. However, Judge Juan Merchan rejected these claims, and the Supreme Court had previously expanded presidential immunity in a 2024 ruling.
Despite the legal challenges, Merchan is expected to impose an “unconditional discharge” sentence, which would not include jail time, fines, or probation. Additionally, reports surfaced that Trump had spoken with Justice Alito the day before requesting the stay, though Alito denied discussing the case during their conversation.
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