Trump Appeals Hush Money Conviction, Claims Criminal Law Misuse

President Donald Trump has initiated an appeal against his conviction on 34 counts of felony falsifying business records related to hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. Represented by the law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, Trump's legal team argues that the case constitutes a misuse of criminal law aimed at targeting him politically. Despite receiving an unconditional discharge on January 10, 2025, which spared him from jail time, the conviction remains in effect, marking him as the first former president to be convicted of a felony. Trump's appeal will first be reviewed by New York's mid-level Appellate Division before potentially escalating to the State Court of Appeals. His attorney, Robert Giuffra, emphasized the appeal's significance for the rule of law and New York's reputation, asserting that the case should be dismissed. The appeal process will allow Trump's lawyers to provide more detailed arguments against the conviction in the coming months.