Donald Trump, the first sitting or former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, has initiated the process to appeal his conviction. Trump's legal team now has six months to submit an extensive brief detailing their arguments. This development stems from the case involving a $130,000 payment that Trump's former personal lawyer made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump faced 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to this payment.
The decision to appeal follows a sentence that imposes no jail time or other legal penalties on Trump, although a formal judgment of guilt remains on his record. Trump has consistently argued that the case aims to undermine his 2024 presidential campaign. The case was brought forward by Alvin Bragg, the Democratic Manhattan District Attorney.
Trump's legal team plans to challenge both the jury's guilty verdict and the sentence in a mid-level state appeals court. His lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, have been appointed to senior Justice Department roles. Robert Giuffra, a prominent attorney from Sullivan & Cromwell who was once considered for attorney general in Trump's administration, will lead Trump's appeal efforts. The appeal will proceed in a New York state court.
The charges against Trump involve falsifying business records, a charge that Bragg's office maintains is commonly prosecuted as a felony. The contentious payment to Stormy Daniels occurred prior to the 2016 election, with Trump denying any sexual encounter with her.
Robert Giuffra expressed strong criticism of the legal proceedings, stating:
"The misuse of the criminal law by the Manhattan DA to target President Trump sets a dangerous precedent, and we look forward to the case being dismissed on appeal." – Robert Giuffra
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