US Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to delay sentencing in hush money case

A divided Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to delay his sentencing in his hush money case in New York.

The court’s order clears the way for Judge Juan M. Merchan to impose a sentence Friday on Trump, who was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a US$130,000 hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels. Trump has denied any liaison with Daniels or any wrongdoing.

Merchan has said he will not give Trump jail time, fines or probation.

But Trump’s lawyers have argued that evidence used in the Manhattan trial violated last summer’s Supreme Court ruling giving Trump broad immunity from prosecution over acts he took as president.

At the least, they have said, the sentencing should be delayed while their appeals play out to avoid distracting Trump during the presidential transition.