Former President Donald Trump is seeking to overturn his recent conviction in a New York hush-money case, arguing that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity should apply. However, Manhattan prosecutors are opposing this move, stating that the Supreme Court’s ruling does not impact Trump’s conviction.
In late May, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The charges stemmed from allegations that Trump paid hush money to an adult film actress and then covered up these payments as legal expenses during his 2016 presidential campaign. The conviction is for falsifying business records, which under New York law is a Class E felony, carrying a maximum penalty of four years in prison.
Trump’s defense team is now arguing that a recent Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity should lead to the dismissal of his conviction. This ruling, made in July, stated that presidents and former presidents have absolute immunity for actions related to their core constitutional duties and a presumed immunity for official actions. However, it also clarified that there is no immunity for unofficial conduct.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has strongly opposed Trump’s attempt to use this ruling to overturn his conviction. Prosecutors have filed a motion stating that the Supreme Court’s decision is unrelated to Trump’s case. They argue that the ruling on presidential immunity does not apply because the charges against Trump involve personal conduct rather than official presidential acts.
Prosecutors emphasized that the Supreme Court’s decision does not influence this prosecution. In their legal filing, they stated, “This Court should reject the defendant’s request to vacate his conviction and dismiss the indictment on the basis of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. Contrary to the defendant’s arguments, that decision has no bearing on this prosecution.”
The Supreme Court’s decision was significant, ruling 6-3 that while presidents have absolute immunity for core constitutional duties and presumptive immunity for official actions, they do not have immunity for actions that fall outside their official capacity. This means that while Trump might be protected for actions related to his presidential role, the case in New York deals with personal matters and alleged misconduct during his 2016 campaign.
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on September 18, 2024, at 10 a.m. E.T. The sentencing will determine the consequences of his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records. The prosecutors argue that despite Trump’s claims, the evidence against him pertains to his personal actions and not to his official presidential duties.
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The prosecution’s stance indicates that it is firmly against any delays or changes based on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling. It is pushing to proceed with sentencing as planned, arguing that Trump’s misconduct falls outside the scope of presidential immunity. For now, the focus remains on the upcoming sentencing and whether Trump’s defense will be successful in using the Supreme Court ruling to impact this high-profile case.
