Manhattan prosecutors have informed a federal appeals court that former President Donald Trump's efforts to transfer the hush money case to federal court are no longer relevant as he has already been sentenced.
In a court filing, prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office stated, 'Defendant’s appeal is moot because he has already been sentenced. As federal courts have uniformly held, removal is unavailable once final judgment has been entered in the state proceeding.'
Trump's appeal was seen as a last-minute legal maneuver to prevent his sentencing before assuming the presidency.
Previously, Trump had attempted to move the state charges to federal court in 2023, but a federal judge dismissed his argument, ruling that the hush money payment was a personal act and not an official presidential action.
Following Trump's conviction on 34 state felonies related to falsifying business records and a Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity in July, Trump made another attempt to delay his sentencing by requesting the federal judge's permission to file new motions. However, this request was denied, leading Trump to appeal the decision.
Recently, Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, indicating that he would not face prison time, fines, or probation. Despite this outcome, he has expressed his intention to appeal his conviction.
