The US Supreme Court has rejected President-elect Donald Trump‘s bid to delay sentencing in his hush money case in New York, clearing the way for it to go ahead on Friday.
Responding to the ruling, Trump said he “thought was a fair decision, actually,” but added in a post on social media he would be appealing the case “for the sake and sanctity of the Presidency”.
Trump was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels. He has denied any liaison with Daniels or any wrongdoing.
The court, in a 5-4 ruling, found his sentencing wouldn’t be a serious burden since Judge Juan M Merchan has indicated he won’t give Trump jail time, fines or probation.
Trump’s arguments against the verdict, meanwhile, can be handled as part of the regular appeals process, the majority found.
Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh would have delayed the sentencing, the order states.
Trump’s lawyers had argued that evidence used in the Manhattan trial violated last summer’s Supreme Court ruling giving Trump broad immunity from prosecution over acts he took as president.
They also said the sentencing should be delayed while their appeals play out to avoid distracting Trump during the presidential transition.
Prosecutors said there was no reason for the court to take the “extraordinary step” of intervening in a state case now.
The Supreme Court acted after New York’s top court on Thursday rejected Trump’s request to halt his sentencing.
The decision comes a day after Justice Alito confirmed that he took a phone call from Trump the day before the president-elect’s lawyers filed their emergency motion before the high court. The justice said the call was about a clerk, not any upcoming or current cases.
Trump is the first former US president to be criminally prosecuted and the first former president convicted of a crime.
Separately, a federal appeals court cleared the way for the public release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the 2020 election interference case against Trump.
The 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday turned down a challenge from Trump and his co-defendants in his classified documents case, who are seeking to block the release of the report.
The report will not immediately be released, and further appeals could follow.
With agencies
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