Former President Donald Trump has called for the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in his New York criminal trial before his sentencing, which is scheduled for July 11.
Trump was convicted on Thursday, becoming the first former president found guilty of felony crimes. A New York jury determined that he falsified business records to influence the 2016 election illegally through payments made to an adult film actress. He was found guilty on all 34 charges.
Expressing his frustration on social media, Trump criticized the timing of his sentencing, which is set to occur just days before the Republican National Convention. He accused the district attorney, whom he described as having radical leftist ties, of being biased against him and suggested that the judge overseeing his case, appointed by Democrats, was highly conflicted. Trump believes that the U.S. Supreme Court should intervene to ensure a fair outcome.
As the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in the upcoming election, Trump has vowed to appeal the conviction. He and his supporters argue that the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, and Judge Juan Merchan have demonstrated partisan bias throughout the trial.
Trump has notable influence in the Supreme Court, having appointed three of its current justices: Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled to take place from July 15-18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Trump also criticized the legal process, claiming that the nature of the crime was unclear until the judge issued his instructions, which he believes were unconstitutional. He described the case as unprecedented and framed it as an act of election interference, expressing concerns about the country’s future.
Additionally, Trump thanked former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his support. Johnson had characterized the trial as politically motivated, suggesting that it could actually increase Trump’s chances of victory rather than diminish them.