Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) has called on the Supreme Court to expedite the appeal process for former President Donald Trump‘s hush money case, citing political motivations behind the legal proceedings.
What Happened: Donalds, who is reportedly on Trump’s shortlist for the vice-presidential candidate, expressed his views on the matter during an interview with NBC News’ Peter Alexander on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, reported The Hill.
Donalds’ statement comes in the wake of Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business documents in connection to hush money payments made to conceal an alleged affair just before the 2016 election. Trump is set to be sentenced next month.
Donalds, echoing an earlier call by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), asserted that the Supreme Court should step in to expedite the appeal process, which could potentially take years. He labeled the legal case against Trump as a politically motivated effort.
“This is being done for political purposes,” Donalds remarked. “Everybody knows how the court system works in New York. The only ability for this to be overturned is going to be happening two or three years from now. That’s why what happened in lower Manhattan was to interfere with an election.”
Donalds’ comments are in line with Johnson’s previous description of the conviction as “totally unprecedented.”
Why It Matters: Trump’s conviction has had a significant impact on the political landscape. Recent polls show that President Joe Biden has regained support from independent voters following Trump’s guilty verdict. This has led to a close race between the two front-running candidates in the 2024 presidential election.
Meanwhile, despite the legal challenges, Trump remains a betting favorite to win the 2024 presidential election. His decision on the vice-presidential candidate is eagerly anticipated, with Donalds reportedly being considered for the role.
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
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