The Supreme Court has rejected Missouri’s attempt to sue New York and halt its sentencing of former President Donald Trump for his hush money conviction next month.
In an order issued Monday, the justices rejected Missouri’s request to halt the former president’s gag order and his sentencing, denying the Show Me State’s move to sue New York.
The order noted that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. would have allowed Missouri to file a bill of complaint against New York, but they would not have halted the sentencing or lifted the gag order.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey had asked the justices last month to halt the gag order imposed on Mr. Trump and to stay any pending sentence against him ahead of the 2024 election “so Missourians can participate in the election free from New York’s exercise of coercive power limiting the ability of Trump to campaign.”
Mr. Bailey told the justices that New York has threatened to infringe on the constitutional rights of Missouri voters.
New York Attorney General Letitia James asked the justices to reject the request. In her filing, she noted that the criminal sentencing has already been delayed until September and said Missouri’s alleged harms are “generalized and speculative grievances.”
A New York jury in May found Mr. Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to cover up another crime, which elevated the charges to felonies.
The prosecutors alleged that Mr. Trump used money to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed to have had an affair with him, ahead of the 2016 election. It was suggested the payment amounted to a campaign finance violation.
Mr. Trump reimbursed his former lawyer Michael Cohen for the $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels and labeled it as a legal fee.
Mr. Trump’s gag order was narrowed in June to prohibit him from commenting about the court, judge, prosecutors or their families. Before that, the former president couldn’t comment on witnesses during much of the proceedings.
Mr. Trump has denied any affair and is appealing his conviction.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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