Trump's new legal team begins appeals process for Manhattan conviction

President Donald Trump’s legal team filed a notice of appeal for his conviction in his Manhattan trial, Fox News Digital confirmed on Wednesday, which found him guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.

“President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials,” newly minted Trump attorney Robert J. Giuffra Jr. said in a statement provided by a Trump spokesperson to the Associated Press on Wednesday. “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.”

Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office worked to prove that Trump had falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election, to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.

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Trump has maintained his innocence in the case and repeatedly railed against it as an example of lawfare promoted by Democrats in an effort to hurt his efforts ahead of the November 2024 election.

“The appeal of Trump’s criminal conviction has finally begun with the filing of the notice of appeal today,” Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley posted on X Wednesday.

“While expectations are not particularly high for relief in the NY court system, this process moves the case closer to an appeal to the Supreme Court,” he continued.

Presiding New York Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump on Jan. 10, just days before his inauguration as the 47th president, to unconditional discharge — meaning he faces no punishment such as fines or jail time. Legal experts railed against the sentencing earlier in January, with Fox News’ Mark Levin remarking that it will be remembered as “one of the worst” legal cases in world history.

“I’ll tell you how it strikes me, when you look at cases throughout history, not just in the United States, but really all over the world, this will be remembered as one of the worst. This will be remembered as an absolute injustice from the beginning,” Levin said on Fox News after the sentencing.

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Fox News Digital exclusively reported on Wednesday that Trump retained a new legal team after some of his top attorneys joined his administration. He is now represented by Sullivan & Cromwell, including co-chair and partner of the firm, Robert J. Giuffra Jr and Matthew Schwartz, a partner of the firm.

Giuffra previewed the importance of an appeal to the conviction in comment to Fox Digital earlier Wednesday.

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“President Donald J. Trump’s appeal is important for the rule of law, New York’s reputation as a global business, financial and legal center, as well as for the presidency and all public officials,” Giuffra told Fox News Digital. “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.”