New York Attorney General Letitia James has urged the Supreme Court to reject Missouri AG Andrew Bailey’s request to intervene in former President Donald Trump’s case, in which he was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, typically a misdemeanor in New York. James argued against Missouri’s appeal to delay Trump’s sentencing hearing, set for September 18th, and to lift the gag order imposed on him.
In July, Missouri AG Andrew Bailey sought permission from the Supreme Court to file a complaint against New York, aiming to halt Trump’s sentencing and lift the gag order. Bailey claimed that New York’s actions infringed on the rights of Missouri voters by restricting them from hearing from Trump, a presidential candidate.
In a 48-page filing on Wednesday, James countered that Missouri lacks a legal basis to seek Supreme Court intervention. She stated that this request “seriously undermines the integrity of the courts and risks setting a dangerous precedent that encourages a flood of similar, unmeritorious litigation.”
James argued that any relief should come from New York courts, not the Supreme Court. As the AG who has pursued Trump since her campaign, she is unlikely to attempt resolution there.
“Allowing Missouri to file this suit for such relief against New York would permit an extraordinary and dangerous end-run around former President Trump’s ongoing state court proceedings and the statutory limitations on this Court’s jurisdiction to review state court decisions,” she asserted.
Additionally, James claimed that Missouri does not have the standing required to bring the complaint forward. “The potential sentence and speech restrictions may prove no obstacle to the interests of people who wish to hear from former President Trump,” she said, adding that Missouri’s request was simply an attempt to “further the individual interests of former President Trump.”
Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records. A current gag order prohibits Trump from speaking about the case, including mentioning the prosecutors, court staff, and their family members. His sentencing is scheduled for September 18, after a postponement due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on immunity.