Former President Trump is planning to appeal his New York felony conviction, which will be heard by an appellate court predominantly comprised of Democratic appointees. The appeal is set to take place at the New York State Appellate Court First Division in New York City.
Of the 21 justices on the appellate court, all but one were appointed by Democratic New York governors. Federal and state campaign records reveal that at least 14 of the 21 justices have made campaign contributions to Democratic candidates, including donations made while serving as judges in lower courts.
One of the newest justices, Justice Marsha Michael, was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul and previously ran for a New York State Assembly seat in the Democratic primary. Justice Michael ruled against Trump's lawyers in a recent trial, allowing proceedings to move forward.
Another justice, Ellen Gessmer, has also contributed to Democratic campaigns, including donations to Senator Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, Howard Dean, and Democratic campaign committees.
Despite the Democratic leanings of the court, former President Trump has seen some victories in the past. The appellate court ruled in his favor during a civil fraud trial, reducing a bond amount set by a judge, lifting a gag order, and permitting Trump and his sons to continue business activities in New York.
Notably, there is no public record of justices contributing to Republican or Conservative candidates or parties. Attempts to obtain a comment from the court regarding these findings have been unsuccessful thus far.
