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Trump again argues SCOTUS immunity ruling should scuttle hush money…

Trump again argues SCOTUS immunity ruling should scuttle hush money…

Unraveling the Legal Saga: Trump's Bid to Overturn Hush Money Conviction

In a high-stakes legal battle, former President Donald Trump's lawyers have renewed their efforts to overturn his conviction for concealing a hush money payment to a porn star during the 2016 presidential election. Claiming that prosecutors overlooked crucial constitutional issues, Trump's legal team is making a last-ditch attempt to have the historic verdict thrown out.

Uncovering the Intricate Legal Maneuvers

Challenging the Admissibility of Key Evidence

Trump's attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, have filed a 21-page legal brief urging Justice Juan Merchan to dismiss the guilty verdict. They argue that jurors should not have heard certain evidence, particularly the testimony of White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, which they claim is protected by "absolute immunity" under the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential acts.The lawyers contend that Hicks' testimony, in which she recounted Trump's relief that Stormy Daniels' story of a sexual tryst emerged after the 2016 election, was an "official" presidential act. They argue that the discussion was part of Trump's efforts to ensure Hicks and her staff were prepared to address media and public inquiries on his behalf.

Invoking the "Take Care" Clause

Trump's legal team has also invoked the Constitution's "take care" clause, which empowers the president to "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." They claim this clause provides a "constitutional basis" that makes Trump's conversation with Hicks an "official act," shielding it from prosecution.However, the Manhattan District Attorney's office has dismissed these arguments, stating that the Supreme Court's decision has "no bearing" on the case. They maintain that Trump's cover-up of the Daniels payoff by lying on his company records was not an "official" presidential act, and that the evidence in question represents only a "sliver" of the overwhelming proof used to convict him.

Timing and Objections

Trump's lawyers have also argued that the Manhattan District Attorney's office is "blatantly ignoring" the fact that they did not object to the admission of the disputed evidence before and during the trial. They claim the prosecutors are now griping about the issue too late, in light of the Supreme Court's ruling.Prosecutors, on the other hand, have asserted that the defense team's objections are inadequate, given the significance of the Supreme Court's decision. They have acknowledged that the judge, Juan Merchan, will need to rule on how the high court's ruling impacts Trump's felony conviction for falsifying business records.

Sentencing Delay and Potential Implications

The sentencing date for Trump's conviction has been pushed back to September 18th, allowing both sides to grapple with the implications of the Supreme Court's decision. This delay sets the stage for a critical legal showdown, as the judge must determine whether the verdict should be scuttled or upheld.The outcome of this legal battle could have far-reaching consequences, not only for Trump's political future but also for the broader legal landscape. As the first-ever criminal trial of a U.S. president, the Manhattan case is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in American jurisprudence, with the potential to set precedents that will reverberate for years to come.

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