Former President Donald Trump is seeking intervention from the US Supreme Court in the prosecution against him in New York for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during his 2016 election campaign. The case involves a payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels through his lawyer Michael Cohen. A Manhattan criminal court jury found Mr. Trump guilty on all 34 counts in the indictment brought by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, with a sentencing date set for July 11. Trump has criticized both the prosecutor and judge in the case, claiming conflicts of interest and arguing that the Supreme Court must make a decision. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also called for Supreme Court intervention, but legal experts suggest the likelihood of this happening is low.
For the Supreme Court to intervene, Trump’s lawsuit must complete its appeal in the New York state courts, a process that could take years. The legal process in New York requires the case to go through two state appellate courts before reaching the Supreme Court. Legal experts note that the Supreme Court typically does not overrule state decisions before the appeal process has been exhausted. Trump’s legal team may need to argue that the Manhattan criminal court violated the 14th Amendment or consider invoking the Federal Election Act in their appeals.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s immunity from prosecution for acts committed while in office will also have implications for other federal prosecutions he is facing. Trump is currently facing federal prosecutions in Washington and Florida, as well as state-level prosecutions in New York and Georgia. However, the chances of the Supreme Court accepting Trump’s case and overturning the ruling are considered slim, given the court’s limited acceptance of state-level criminal cases. Despite Trump’s efforts to appeal the rulings against him, the legal process may be lengthy and complex, with no guarantee of a favorable outcome.