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President-elect Donald Trump's request to block criminal proceedings in his Manhattan hush money case was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday (January 9), hours before his sentencing hearing scheduled for Friday (January 10), NBC News reports.
The conservative-majority high court voted 5-4 with four dissenting after previously ruling in favor of Trump twice last year during his presidential campaign, which included the immunity ruling in relation to his election interference prosecution, as well as ensuring he would be included on all ballots, despite a constitutional provision barring those who have "engaged in insurrection" from holding federal office. In May, Trump was convicted by the Manhattan court of falsifying records in relation to hush money his former attorney, Michael Cohen, paid adult film star Stormy Daniels during the days leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
Daniels testified that she and Trump engaged in a sexual encounter in 2006, which Trump has publicly denied. The president-elect's attorneys argued that some evidence included in the trial focused on official actions that occurred after he took office, which are protected under the Supreme Court's recent ruling and argued that he should have the same protection from criminal prosecution as a sitting president.
Trump's sentencing was postponed by presiding Judge Juan Merchan to January 9 following the immunity ruling last year, but Merchan later determined that the president-elect doesn't have immunity until he's sworn into office, which is scheduled to take place on January 20.
