Former US president Donald Trump on Monday (July 1) made moves to overturn his conviction in pornstar Stormy Daniels hush money case just hours after US Supreme Court granted him a great measure of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution, CNN has reported citing sources. The report said that on the same day of the supreme court decision, Trump's legal team filed a letter with New York court for an opportunity to challenge the hush-money case verdict. If the guilty verdict is overturned, it will come as a big relief to the former president who has lately faced barrage of legal cases against him.
What was Stormy Daniels case?
In May, a New York jury found Trump guilty of business fraud over his attempts to cover-up hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. It is alleged that the payment was made to Daniels to keep her from talking openly about her sexual encounter with Trump. The former US president has repeatedly denied having any relations with Daniels.
How would overturning conviction help Trump?
As of now it is a long-shot, but if Trump's conviction in the Stormy Daniels case is overturned, it would offer him a huge talking point with 2024 US Presidential Election drawing nearer. Trump has repeatedly been called a 'convict' by his political opponents following the guilty verdict. He is first sitting or former US president in history to be convicted of a crime.
Democrats have latched on to this and have sought to drive home the point repeatedly for the American electorate. Even in the recently concluded presidential debate, US President Joe Biden called Trump a 'convicted felon'.
Overturning of the verdict would remove all basis for calling him a 'convict'. Although Trump's appeal among his supporters remains unaffected, removal of the 'convict' tag would give Trump opportunity to say that he is innocent and also ample space to repeat his claims of a political conspiracy against him. Given his track record, he is likely to jump at any such opportunity.
What did US Supreme Court say about Trump?
On Monday, the US Supreme Court granted Trump partial immunity in the context of the election subversion. The court held that a president had absolute immunity for 'core' presidential activity. And even for peripheral decisions and activity, the court said that the president should be given some measure of immunity from criminal prosecution.
This may mean that at least some aspects of what Trump did during, before and after Capitol Hill riots on January 6, 2021 is defensible in light of the latest decision from the supreme court.
The court has even held that Trump's interactions with the officials in the wake of US Presidential Election 2020 results were covered in the immunity. Trump had called up officials in various US states and had put serious pressure on them to overturn the election result.
