President-elect Donald Trump became the first president to be criminally sentenced after the US Supreme Court declined to stay sentencing in his New York ‘hush-money’ criminal case.
President Trump had argued sentencing would unduly burden his presidency and should therefore be halted.
The Supreme Court, however, disagreed.
In a brief one-paragraph memo, the court argued “the burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial in light of the trial court’s stated intent to impose a sentence of ‘unconditional discharge’ after a brief virtual hearing.”
The court added Trump would have the opportunity to file an appeal of his conviction and sentencing.
Trump claimed he would be appealing the case “for the sake and sanctity of the Presidency.”
“The pathetic, dying remnants of the Witch Hunts against me will not distract us as we unite and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” concluded Trump.
Trump had been convicted by New York Judge Juan Merchan for an alleged payment of $130,000 to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to influence the 2016 presidential contest.
However, last July, the Supreme Court ruled that Presidents have immunity from prosecution for official acts conducted while in office.
In a 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts explained presidents cannot be prosecuted for "official acts," leaving the door open for acts taken in a private manner.
Judge Merchan subsequently circumvented the court’s decision, claiming instead that the evidence used to reveal Trump’s payments were unofficial conduct.
Merchan stated “that the evidence related to the preserved claims relate entirely to unofficial conduct and thus, receive no immunity protections.”
Trump’s lawyers argued the opposite, alleging the evidence presented at trial was protected by presidential immunity, while some constitutional lawyers, such as late David Rivkin, argued prosecutors made a series of procedural errors that invalidated the conviction.
