Former President Trump's attorney, Will Scharf, has provided a preview of the planned appeal regarding Trump's criminal conviction. During an appearance on ABC's "This Week," Scharf also raised concerns about the alleged "weaponization" of the U.S. legal system. He pointed out the involvement of a former official from the Department of Justice under the Biden administration in the prosecution of the case against Trump.

Scharf, who is also running for Missouri attorney general, stated that Trump will comply with the pre-sentencing investigation while awaiting the appeal of his conviction on 34 counts. The charges against Trump involve accusations of falsifying business records to hide payments made to Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, with the intention of influencing the 2016 election.

During his interview with ABC host George Stephanopoulos, Scharf highlighted the presence of prosecutor Matthew Colangelo alongside Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg when the guilty verdicts were announced. Scharf claimed that this demonstrated political coordination between the Biden administration and the Manhattan DA's office, an assertion that Stephanopoulos disputed.

Scharf emphasized his disagreement with the notion that the case against Trump was not politically motivated. He also expressed his intention to challenge the conviction vigorously on appeal, asserting that he does not believe Trump will face any sentence at all. Scharf stated that he is prepared to take the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary to protect Trump's rights.

Referring to the hush-money case as a "zombie case," Scharf criticized its timing, suggesting that it conveniently resurfaced when Trump announced his candidacy for president. He stated that the case exemplifies the politicization of the legal system and departs from the typical process of contesting elections at the ballot box rather than in courts.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has called for Bragg and Colangelo to appear for a hearing in June. The hearing aims to address concerns over the alleged weaponization of the federal government and the "unprecedented political prosecution" of Trump. Republicans argue that President Biden may have driven this prosecution of his political opponent during an election year, despite lacking authority over state courts in New York.

Trump's legal team has repeatedly requested that Judge Juan M. Merchan recuse himself due to a potential conflict of interest. They point to Merchan's donation to Biden's campaign and his daughter's involvement with a group representing Democrat politicians and political action committees. On appeal, Scharf intends to challenge Merchan's failure to recuse, as well as certain aspects of the jury instructions.

Scharf criticized the conduct of the trial, alleging that Judge Merchan steered the jury towards the verdict he desired and made questionable evidentiary decisions. He expressed his belief that these actions undermined normal courtroom procedure and stacked the deck against President Trump.

Stephanopoulos raised concerns about how Trump's criticisms of Merchan and Bragg might complicate the sentencing process. However, Scharf maintained that Trump has the constitutional right to comment on matters of public importance, particularly given what he perceives as the weaponization of the legal system and the unjust nature of the trial.

In summary, Scharf's preview of the planned appeal highlighted concerns about the alleged weaponization of the legal system against Trump. He expressed disagreement with the lack of political motivation behind the case and vowed to challenge the conviction on multiple grounds. The legal battle surrounding Trump's criminal conviction appears far from over.