Former President Donald Trump is seeking to overturn his felony conviction and delay his sentencing in his New York “hush money” criminal case. His lawyers have filed a request with a federal court in Manhattan to move the case from state court to federal court, citing constitutional violations and bias in the state court proceedings. They argue that a federal forum would provide a fair and unbiased platform to address these issues and potentially have the verdict overturned and the case dismissed on immunity grounds.
If the case remains in state court and Trump is sentenced as scheduled in September, just weeks before Election Day, his lawyers argue that it would amount to election interference. Trump’s legal team is seeking a delay in the sentencing process to avoid any negative impact on his presidential campaign. They also claim that the ongoing proceedings are causing irreparable harm to Trump and voters beyond Manhattan. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case, has not commented on the latest developments in the case.
Trump was convicted in May on charges related to concealing a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels. The payment was made by Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who was later reimbursed by Trump. The former president maintains that the charges are false and part of a politically motivated attack on his reputation. Falsifying business records carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but Trump’s legal team is seeking to have the case dismissed based on immunity grounds.
Legal wrangling over the case, including requests for a postponement of sentencing and a reversal of the verdict, could potentially delay any final resolution until after Election Day. Trump’s lawyers are also arguing that the trial was tainted by evidence that should not have been allowed under the Supreme Court’s recent immunity ruling, which restricts prosecutions of ex-presidents for official acts. They claim that prosecutors rushed to trial and used evidence that focused on Trump’s actions as president.
Trump’s legal team is also raising concerns about the judge overseeing the case, alleging bias and unfair treatment. They argue that the judge’s daughter is a Democratic political consultant and that he has unjustly restricted Trump’s ability to respond to political attacks by maintaining a gag order. The judge has rejected requests for recusal and upheld the gag order, leading Trump’s lawyers to further criticize his handling of the case. The legal battle over Trump’s criminal conviction is likely to continue as the former president seeks to clear his name and avoid the potential consequences of a felony conviction.
