Here’s what happened…
Former President Donald Trump should appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his conviction related to hush money payments, suggested his former attorney, John Eastman. Speaking to host Emerald Robinson on the conservative online platform Frank Speech, Eastman emphasized the necessity of a judicial resolution to prevent Trump supporters from taking drastic actions.
Eastman, who himself faces indictments in Georgia and Arizona for allegedly attempting to interfere with the 2020 election results, called for Trump’s legal team to file a writ of habeas corpus with the Supreme Court. He acknowledged that such a legal move is uncommon but argued it is crucial to pursue this before people begin to seek their own forms of justice.
In New York City, Trump, the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, was found guilty on May 30 of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Eastman claimed that the trial was unjust, describing it as a “judicial lynch up” and expressing concern that the lack of legal recourse against what he termed “government tyranny” could lead people to take matters into their own hands.
Eastman also asserted that Trump was a victim of the left’s strategic use of legal action, known as “lawfare,” and criticized the trial for purported contradictions and due process violations. He hopes the Supreme Court will recognize the dangers posed by this conviction and intervene accordingly.
Law professor Greg Germain from Syracuse University anticipates a surge in habeas corpus petitions and other legal challenges if Trump is sentenced to prison. Germain warned that an immediate prison sentence for Trump could lead to a judicial upheaval, likening it to “World War III in the judicial system.” He predicted that Trump would likely file emergency appeals and possibly trigger a constitutional crisis, given his status as a leading presidential candidate. Germain speculated that the judge might either forgo a prison sentence altogether or issue a short sentence but stay its execution pending appeal.
FindLaw explains that habeas corpus serves as a distinct avenue for challenging imprisonment and, in rare cases, can be used by individuals not currently imprisoned who wish to contest their convictions.
Eastman, who pleaded not guilty in Phoenix on May 17 to charges of illegal interference in the Arizona election count, also faces similar charges in Georgia alongside Trump and 17 others. Both Eastman and Trump have pleaded not guilty to the charges in Georgia.