Donald Trump and Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito spoke over the phone on Tuesday, just hours before his lawyers filed an emergency request with the high court to block his criminal sentencing Friday in New York City.
Alito released a statement Tuesday claiming that the call was simply his way of recommending a former law clerk for a job in Trump’s White House.
“William Levi, one of my former law clerks, asked me to take a call from President-elect Trump regarding his qualifications to serve in a government position,” Justice Alito told ABC News Wednesday.
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The Supreme Court justice also told the network that he did not discuss the president-elect’s filing—or the hush-money case in question.
“We did not discuss the emergency application he filed today, and indeed, I was not even aware at the time of our conversation that such an application would be filed,” Alito said. “We also did not discuss any other matter that is pending or might in the future come before the Supreme Court or any past Supreme Court decisions involving the President-elect.”
Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May. Prosecutors alleged that he had partaken in a “scheme” to heighten his chances of winning the 2016 presidential election through a hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, fabricating business records along the way to cover up his alleged tracks.
Following the verdict, Trump’s attorneys attempted to toss out his conviction alleging that “grave juror misconduct” had taken place—while also arguing that he was protected by presidential immunity. Acting Justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Judge Juan Merchan, dismissed all these arguments, however, and ordered the president-elect to appear, either in person or virtually, for a sentencing in New York on Jan. 10.
New York appeals court Judge Ellen Gesmer also denied Trump’s request to delay his Jan. 10 sentencing Tuesday, prompting the president-elect to file the emergency request with the Supreme Court the next day.
In the filing, Trump’s defense lawyers argued that the sentencing would damage “the institution of the Presidency and the operations of the federal government.”
The Supreme court has asked prosecutors in New York to respond by Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
The justices are expected to decide Trump’s request by the morning of the hearing.
