An appeals court rejected on Tuesday President-elect Donald Trump's latest effort to block his sentencing in the hush money case, upholding Friday as the set date.
Concretely, Judge Ellen Gesmer denied the request, which sought to halt the sentence while he appealed the decision by Judge Juan M. Merchan to uphold the verdict.
Trump lawyer Todd Blanche said the president-elect can't be sentenced because he has the same immunity from criminal proceedings as a seating head of State. Merchan had rejected the premise, saying it went against the concept of one person being president at a time.
It is the second time in two days he is denied, the last attempt taking place on Monday, when Merchan dismissed the arguments as little more than a rehash of past attempts.
Trump can still turn to other courts to prevent the outcome. But should he be denied, he will become the first president to take office convicted of a felony crime. Judge Merchan hinted that Trump won't face any jail time.
Trump has blasted Merchan, accusing him of corruption and saying the Biden administration was involved in the decision. He said the case is an "illegitimate political attack" and "nothing but a Rigged Charade." He also said Merchan's latest order is "knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it."
In May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts brought against him in connection with payments made to former porn star Stormy Daniels, marking the first time a former U.S. president had been convicted of a crime.
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