Washington — On Monday, the Supreme Court dismissed Missouri’s attempt to delay former President Donald Trump’s sentencing and lift the gag order imposed in the New York “hush money” case until after the November presidential election.
The high court’s decision was delivered through an unsigned order, denying Missouri’s request to challenge New York’s legal actions.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito expressed they would have allowed Missouri to file a bill of complaint but did not support the request to delay sentencing.
In May, a New York jury convicted Trump of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
According to the source, Trump has promised to appeal the verdict, with sentencing originally set for July 11 but now postponed to September 18.
Though some restrictions were eased in June, Trump is still barred from discussing prosecutors, court staff, and their families.
Justice Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, will also decide by September 6 whether to overturn Trump’s conviction based on a Supreme Court ruling that grants him immunity from federal prosecution for official acts performed during his presidency.
Trump’s legal team argues that this immunity should prevent prosecutors from presenting evidence of his official acts at trial. Manhattan prosecutors disagree with this interpretation.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, argued that New York’s gag order and impending sentence are attempts to undermine Trump’s campaign by using “coercive power.”
Bailey claimed that these actions hinder voters’ ability to hear from Trump and interfere with the election process.
Bailey argued that despite Trump’s criminal conviction, which he described as “mere bookkeeping offenses,” there is no urgent need for an immediate sentence or gag order.
He believes that it is crucial for voters to hear from all major candidates without interference from a single state.
New York officials opposed Missouri’s attempt, stating it was an attempt to serve Trump’s personal interests and bypass state court proceedings.
Attorney General Letitia James argued that the actions Missouri is challenging were taken by the Manhattan district attorney, not the state of New York, and allowing such a suit would undermine the integrity of local DA’s independence and flood the courts with unmeritorious claims.
Missouri’s effort to influence Trump’s case is part of broader Republican actions to impact the prosecution. GOP Rep.
Elise Stefanik filed a misconduct complaint against Justice Merchan, and the House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan, investigated Trump’s Manhattan prosecution.
Read more news:
- Biden Campaign Mobilizes Across Georgia Ahead of Debate Clash
- Kristi Noem Denies Formal Vetting for Trump’s VP, Focuses on Winning Strategy
Four other GOP-led states backed Missouri’s request, suggesting that New York’s actions might be politically motivated to interfere with the 2024 election.
They urged the Supreme Court to address the matter, claiming it has a constitutional obligation to adjudicate such serious claims.