Former President Donald Trump reportedly began efforts Monday to have his hush money felony conviction in Manhattan thrown out — and his looming sentencing delayed — citing the controversial U.S. Supreme Court ruling that presidents have broad immunity from prosecution when it comes to "official" actions.
A person with knowledge of the matter told The New York Times on Monday that Trump's lawyers asked for permission from Judge Juan Merchan to file a motion to set aside the verdict. The request came in a letter that will not remain secret until at least Tuesday, the Times reported. Prosecutors will be able to respond thereafter.
Trump is set to be sentenced July 11 and prosecutors were expected to give the judge their recommended sentence Monday. However, prosecutors didn't give the judge a sentencing recommendation about Trump's possible punishment, according to the Times.
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Jurors convicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from allegations he paid hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who has said the two had a tryst while his wife was pregnant.
Trump’s lawyers asked Merchan to push back his sentencing — where he faces up to four years in prison — as Merchan decides how the Supreme Court ruling impacts the New York City case.
Notably, the Supreme Court justices said prosecutors cannot charge a president for any official acts. The hush money was allegedly paid during then-presidential candidate Trump's 2016 run.
If it happens, the sentencing in New York will likely be the only criminal sentence Trump faces of any of the four cases he faces before the Nov. 5 election.
