The President of the United States, Donald Trump, formally appealed his guilty verdict in the case of bribing actress Stormy Daniels in New York. This opens a new legal battle after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his bid to overturn his conviction before assuming the presidency.
Trump, the first former U.S. president convicted of a crime, filed a notice of appeal before the judge who oversaw his trial. Two other criminal cases against Trump were dismissed after his victory in the elections.
In the case involving the money paid to silence Daniels, Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts in May and sentenced on January 10. Despite the conviction, the judge did not impose jail time or probation.
Trump's attorney, Robert Giuffra, emphasized the importance of the appeal for the rule of law, New York's reputation, and the presidency. Trump has denied committing any crimes and sees the case as a conspiracy to undermine his reelection.
The case centered on Trump falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has yet to comment on the notice of appeal.
Trump's appeal will go through the New York appeals system and could once again reach the Supreme Court for a final resolution. The question remains whether the conviction will stay on his record or be overturned.
