Trump Sentenced in 'Sexual Misconduct Silence' Case 10 Days Before Inauguration... Appeals Court Also Allows Ruling

Trump's Claim of 'Executive Privilege' Rejected

Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, requested a higher court to block the sentencing in the 'hush money payment related to sexual misconduct scandal' trial, but the request was denied on the 7th (local time). As a result, the sentencing is expected to proceed as scheduled on the 10th, just 10 days before Trump’s inauguration.

Judge Ellen Gesmi of the New York State Supreme Court reportedly rejected the Trump team’s request to postpone the sentencing in the first trial related to the hush money payment sexual misconduct case, which is scheduled for the 10th, according to CNN and other media outlets.

Donald Trump, President-elect of the United States. Photo by Getty Images, Yonhap News

Trump’s legal team filed an appeal with the New York State Appellate Court, seeking to overturn the guilty verdicts on 34 criminal charges and to dismiss the case. They also urged the court to stay the first trial sentencing while the appeal is underway, citing presidential immunity as the basis.

Earlier, on the 3rd, Judge Juan Merchan of the Manhattan Criminal Court, a trial court in New York State, rejected the Trump team’s request to overturn the guilty verdicts and dismiss the case, deciding instead to proceed with sentencing on the 10th.

The defense argued that the criminal immunity for official acts of the U.S. President during their term should be extended to the transition period before inauguration. They also criticized Judge Merchan for attempting to sentence without authority while Trump, exercising his federal constitutional rights, was challenging the court’s decision. However, the appellate court did not accept the Trump team’s arguments.

Trump was brought to trial on charges of paying $130,000 to former adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from revealing past sexual encounters ahead of the 2016 presidential election, and for falsifying related company accounting records. In May of last year, the jury delivered guilty verdicts on all 34 criminal charges against Trump related to this matter.

However, it appears unlikely that Trump will serve prison time. On the 3rd, Judge Merchan, while upholding the guilty verdicts, stated that the most appropriate ruling would be an unconditional release without any punishment. He indicated that neither imprisonment nor probation would be imposed. Additionally, the judge allowed Trump to attend the sentencing remotely on the 10th, apparently considering the presidential transition process.

Meanwhile, the Trump team is likely to continue legal battles to prevent the first trial sentencing from occurring before the presidential inauguration on the 20th. Bloomberg News projected that Trump could appeal to the New York State Court of Appeals or the federal appellate court, and potentially take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.