Donald Trump Sentenced Today for Hush Money Payments to Porn Star Following Supreme Court Appeal Denial | US News

The US Supreme Court has dismissed a final effort by Donald Trump to postpone sentencing in the case involving hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.

Last May in New York, the president-elect was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records concerning payments made to Ms. Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.

Prosecutors asserted that he had paid her $130,000 (£105,300) in hush money to keep quiet about what Ms. Daniels described as a sexual relationship in 2006.

Mr. Trump has consistently denied any involvement with Ms. Daniels or any misconduct.

In a majority decision, the Supreme Court ruled that his sentencing would not pose an undue burden during the presidential transition, especially since the presiding judge, Juan M. Merchan, has indicated he will not sentence Mr. Trump to jail, impose fines, or mandate probation.

Mr. Trump’s legal team contended that the evidence presented in the Manhattan trial breached a Supreme Court decision from last summer that granted him broad immunity from prosecution for actions taken while president.

At a minimum, they claimed, the sentencing process should be deferred while their appeals are underway to prevent distracting Mr. Trump during the presidential transition.

A comprehensive guide to events on 20 January

Mr. Trump’s legal representatives approached the justices after New York courts declined to delay sentencing.

Judges in New York determined that the convictions pertained to personal affairs rather than Mr. Trump’s official presidential duties.

His attorneys labeled the case as politically motivated, stating that sentencing him now would constitute a “grave injustice” and could disrupt the presidential transition as the Republican prepares for a potential return to the White House.

Mr. Trump has indicated he will appeal again, saying: “I respect the court’s opinion – I think it was actually quite favorable for us because you saw what they stated, but they invited the appeal and the appeal revolves around broader issues. So, we’ll see how it plays out,” he remarked during a dinner with Republican governors at his private club in Florida.

Since the New York case involves a state crime rather than a federal one, Mr. Trump will not be able to pardon himself upon taking office on 20 January.