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July 11 (UPI) -- Former President Donald Trump wants a state court judge to throw out his New York hush money criminal conviction, claiming he should be shielded from punishment for his involvement in election interference after a recent Supreme Court ruling. Trump's lawyers pointed to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, ruling that the former president had immunity in some of the conduct that led to his election interference indictments.
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The justices voted 6-3 to reject Trump's broader claims of complete immunity, but they did say some of his duties as president were off limits to prosecution.
"Big win for our Constitution and democracy. Proud to be an American," Trump said after the ruling in a post on his social media website, Truth Social.
Democrats were critical of the ruling, and said it could have far-reaching consequences for democracy and the reach of presidential immunity.
"No one, no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States," President Joe Biden said after the high court's ruling.
"That fundamentally changed for all practical purposes," he said after the justices' ruling.
Trump's request to have the conviction dismissed faces steep odds, but his continued legal battling has resulted in the delay of his sentencing, which was supposed to happen Thursday, but has been pushed back by Judge Juan Merchan until Sept. 18.
Trump's lawyers have argued that the former president is immune from prosecution in the New York case, and they say that Merchan is now "duty-bound" to follow the Supreme Court's decision on partial immunity.
