Attempt to Send Trump to Jail Before Election Takes New Twist as Supreme Court Delivers Major Ruling

Attempt to send Trump to jail before the election takes a new twist as the U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request from Missouri to pause Donald Trump’s sentencing for his hush money conviction, allowing the process to move forward ahead of the November presidential election.

The justices ruled that the sentencing for Trump’s felony conviction in New York, involving a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, will proceed as scheduled, despite the implications for the presidential campaign.

As reported by Reuters on Monday, August 5, 2024, this decision comes as Missouri’s Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit claiming that the criminal case against Trump infringes on voters’ rights under the U.S. Constitution to hear from the Republican nominee ahead of the November 5 election.

The Supreme Court’s ruling was unsigned, but conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito expressed a willingness to review the case but stated they would not offer any additional relief.

Trump was convicted in May of falsifying business records to conceal the hush money payment made to Daniels, who claims to have had an affair with Trump years ago.

Prosecutors argued that the payment was intended to protect Trump’s chances in the 2016 election, in which he defeated Hillary Clinton.

Trump has consistently denied any sexual encounter with Daniels and plans to appeal his conviction after sentencing, which is set for September 18.

Bailey’s lawsuit, filed on July 3, sought a pause on the sentencing and a gag order issued by New York state Judge Juan Merchan.

He contended that the criminal proceedings violate Missouri residents’ First Amendment rights to support and vote for their chosen presidential candidate.

Bailey characterized the actions of New York’s prosecutors as an attempt to “rig the 2024 election” and undermine the democratic process.

Supporting Bailey’s lawsuit, Republican attorneys general from several states, including Florida, Iowa, Montana, and Alaska, submitted a brief to the Supreme Court.

They echoed concerns about the implications of Trump’s case on the upcoming election and the rights of voters to access information about their candidates.

Additionally, Trump faces other federal and state criminal charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results against Joe Biden.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling has granted Trump significant criminal immunity for actions taken during his presidency, effectively shielding him from facing trial in the federal election subversion case before the election.

In response to the ruling, Trump’s legal team has sought to dismiss the hush money conviction, arguing that prosecutors improperly relied on Trump’s 2018 social media posts made while he was in office.

The judge has indicated he will rule on these arguments by September 6, with sentencing planned for September 18.

Last week, a New York state appeals court upheld the gag order, restricting Trump from publicly commenting on the case until after his sentencing.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that the legal challenges against him are politically motivated, framing them as efforts to undermine his candidacy.