A judge from a New York appeals court dismissed Donald Trump’s plea to postpone the sentencing scheduled for this week in his hush-money case. The US president-elect is expected to be sentenced on Friday after a New York jury found him guilty in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records in an effort to conceal a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer rejected the arguments made by Trump’s lawyers that the sentencing should be delayed while he appeals his conviction. The lawyers also claimed that the immunity from prosecution given to a sitting president should apply to a president-elect, but Gesmer did not accept this reasoning. “After reviewing the submitted documents and hearing extensive arguments, the request for a temporary stay by the movant has been denied,” she stated. DAILY POST reports that Trump, currently serving his second term as US President, is set to be sworn in on January 20. He has the right to appeal the judge’s ruling to the entire appellate court and possibly to the Supreme Court. Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the hush money case, has allowed Trump to choose whether to appear in person or virtually at the sentencing on Friday. Merchan has also indicated that he is not likely to impose prison time on the former and future president. During a press conference on Tuesday, Trump criticized Merchan, labeling him a “crooked judge” and voicing complaints about a gag order related to the case.
