SCOTUS Blocks Challenge to Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing, Gag Order Until After Election

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an effort to halt former and potentially future President Donald Trump’s sentencing in the hush money case, as well as lift the gag order imposed on him until after the November election. As CBS News reported, the effort, described as “a longshot bid” came from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

According to the CBS News report:

The high court denied Missouri’s request to bring its case against New York, and dismissed a separate motion to pause Trump’s sentencing in an unsigned order. There were no noted dissents. Justices Clarence and Samuel Alito said they would have granted the state’s request to file a bill of complaint, but would not have granted the other relief Missouri sought.

[Trump] has vowed to appeal the conviction, and his sentencing, while initially set for July 11, was delayed to Sept. 18. The New York judge overseeing the case, Justice Juan Merchan, lifted part of the gag order in June, but Trump is still restricted from talking about prosecutors, court staff and their families.

Merchan is also set to decide by Sept. 6 whether to set aside Trump’s guilty verdict based on the Supreme Court’s ruling that he is entitled to immunity from federal prosecution for official acts taken while in the White House. Trump’s lawyers have argued that under the court’s decision, prosecutors shouldn’t have been allowed to offer evidence at trial of the former president’s official acts. Manhattan prosecutors disagree with their assertions.

(Read more from “SCOTUS Blocks Challenge to Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing, Gag Order Until After Election” HERE)

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