Former President Donald Trump has urged the Supreme Court to take up a pending case regarding presidential immunity. This comes just days after a New York jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in order to conceal hush money payments made to an adult actress.
Supreme Court justices are currently deliberating a case that revolves around Trump and the issue of whether or not presidents are immune from criminal prosecutions. Trump’s legal team asserts that the president must be granted immunity in order for a functional democracy to thrive. Conversely, the attorney representing the federal government argues that presidents do not have a blanket immunity from criminal charges.
On April 25, the nation’s highest court listened to the oral arguments in the case. During his presidency, Trump selected three individuals who now serve as members of the nine-member U.S. Supreme Court: Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
In regards to the pending case, Trump emphasized the importance of the Supreme Court’s ruling on Sunday.
“The sentencing, scheduled just four days before the Republican National Convention, seems to conveniently favor the Fascists,” President Trump expressed on his social media platform, Truth Social. He further commented, “It is worth noting that a Radical Left Soros-backed D.A., who campaigned on the promise of targeting me, will be reporting to an ‘Acting’ Local Judge appointed by the Democrats. This judge, who has evident conflicts of interest, will have the power to determine the future of our great nation. In light of this, I firmly believe that the United States Supreme Court must intervene and make the final decision.”
Trump intends to appeal the verdict in New York, expressing his concerns regarding the instructions provided by Judge Juan Merchan to the jury.
In another social media post, Trump expressed his frustration, stating, “Nobody even knew what the crime was until the Judge gave his Unconstitutional Instructions. A total Hoax! A case like this has NEVER been brought before. A Country in peril. Election Interference!!!” His words emphasized the lack of clarity surrounding the alleged crime and his belief that the situation was unprecedented and posed a threat to the nation.
Trump, 77, was convicted by a jury last week on 34 counts of falsifying business records. According to New York state law, falsifying business records in the first degree is considered a Class E felony, carrying a maximum sentence of four years in prison for each count. The sentencing for this case is scheduled for July 11.
As the November rematch for the White House approaches, Trump is gearing up to face President Joe Biden.
The case in New York revolved around allegations of a sexual encounter between Trump and an adult film actress in 2006. In 2016, a payment of $130,000 was made to the actress to ensure her silence before the 2016 election. Trump has consistently denied the occurrence of any such encounter. Eventually, he was convicted by a jury during the trial.
The exact timing of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the case is uncertain at this point. Typically, the Court announces all of its opinions by the end of its term, which occurs in late June or early July before the summer recess. However, apart from this deadline, there are no specific guidelines dictating when decisions must be made public.