A New York appeals court judge has rejected US President-elect Donald Trump’s request to postpone his Friday sentencing in the hush money case.
Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer declined Trump’s request after a brief hearing on the matter on Tuesday afternoon, CNN reported.
On Tuesday, Trump had requested to stay the proceedings in the hush money case- including his sentencing scheduled for Friday, while he appeals his conviction after Judge Juan Merchan rejected his demand to stop the sentencing.
Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche, who has been selected as deputy attorney general in the US President-elect’s new administration told the New York Appellate Division, First Department, on Tuesday, that it should stop Trump’s sentencing, acknowledging the situation was unprecedented, according to CNN report.
Blanche said the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity in July provides constitutional protection to Trump. Although Merchan denied two arguments to vacate Trump’s conviction, Blanche said that either of those arguments should grant them a stay
of proceedings while the appeal is litigated.
Gesmer, who presided over the hearing, asked Trump’s attorney whether there is any precedent for his request that presidential immunity could be extended to the US President-elect. In response, he said, “There has never been a case like this before, so no.” Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Chief of Appeals Steven Wu said Trump’s lawyers have not presented any argument that a sentencing hearing would disrupt the responsibilities of Trump as US president elect.
Wu said, “Now is the best time for this to happen here.” He admitted the DA’s office has agreed with legal team of Trump that it will be much more difficult to have a sitting president in for sentencing on a state matter.
