Former President Donald Trump is facing a potentially busy legal week ahead as he battles dozens of felony charges and a criminal conviction while also running for a second term in the White House. Trump has maintained his innocence in all cases, but this week, two of his high-profile criminal cases may see progress. One of the cases involves four federal counts related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, while the other case relates to his hush money conviction earlier this year. Trump is seeking to delay his sentencing in the hush money case and is also challenging the charges against him in the election subversion case.
In the 2020 election subversion case, the Justice Department filed a revised version of Trump’s charges following a Supreme Court ruling that said presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for official acts. Prosecutors argue that Trump, acting as a candidate and not as president, interfered with the election results and incited the Capitol riot. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday to determine how to proceed with the case in light of the Supreme Court ruling. Trump’s defense team plans to motion to dismiss the charges, while prosecutors have asked for an expedited review of how the ruling impacts the indictment. Legal experts are divided on whether the revised charges were a wise move by the DOJ.
In Trump’s hush money conviction case, where he was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to concealing a payment made to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign, the former president is seeking to move the case to a federal courthouse and delay his sentencing. A judge denied the request to move the case but is scheduled to rule on Trump’s latest plea to overturn the verdict in light of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling. Trump’s lawyers argue that there is no reason to move forward with sentencing before November 5, 2024, if at all, and are pushing for a more extended timeline for post-trial proceedings. The judge has not yet responded to the requests.
Overall, Trump faces a challenging legal battle this week as he fights against multiple criminal charges while also campaigning for a second term in the White House. His cases involve efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his hush money conviction related to concealing a payment to Stormy Daniels. The former president continues to assert his innocence, with his legal team working to dismiss the charges and delay sentencing. The outcome of this week’s legal proceedings could have a significant impact on Trump’s political future and his ability to pursue another term as president.
