Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has been granted a reprieve by Judge Juan M. Merchan as he navigates through the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the final stretch of his presidential campaign.
The sentencing for Trump’s hush money case, in which he was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records, has been postponed until November 26th, after the presidential election. This decision comes after Trump’s lawyers petitioned for a delay, arguing that punishing him during his campaign would amount to election interference.
In his order, Judge Merchan stated that the postponement was necessary to avoid any appearance of the proceeding being influenced by or seeking to affect the approaching election in which Trump is a candidate. He also emphasized that the court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution.
Trump’s lawyers also argued for the delay to allow him time to weigh his next steps after the judge rules on their request to reverse his conviction and dismiss the case based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s July ruling on presidential immunity. The judge has postponed a decision on this matter until November 12th.
Earlier this week, Trump’s request to have the case transferred from Merchan’s state court to a federal court was rejected. His lawyers had planned to seek a reversal of the verdict and dismissal of the case on immunity grounds if the transfer had been successful. However, they are currently appealing the federal court’s ruling.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which prosecuted Trump’s case, has deferred to Judge Merchan’s decision and did not take a position on the delay request. They have stated that they are ready for sentencing on the new date set by the court.
Trump’s conviction has been a focus of the Democratic party’s messaging, with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris both addressing it in their speeches at the party’s convention. Trump’s opponent in the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton, also referenced it, leading to chants of “lock him up” from the crowd.
Trump has maintained his innocence, claiming that the hush money payment was for legal work and that the case was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” to damage his current campaign. However, the jury unanimously found him guilty of falsifying business records to conceal the payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election.
The postponement of Trump’s sentencing allows him time to focus on his campaign without the added pressure of a looming court date. It also gives him the opportunity to appeal the verdict, which he has pledged to do. Falsifying business records carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison, but other potential punishments include probation, a fine, or a conditional discharge.
Trump’s lawyers argued that the short time between the scheduled immunity ruling and the original sentencing date was unfair to Trump, as it did not allow him enough time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options. The Supreme Court’s immunity ruling restricts prosecutors from using evidence of a president’s official acts to prove the illegality of their unofficial actions.
In light of this ruling, Trump’s lawyers have argued that certain evidence should not have been presented to the jury, such as testimony from former White House staffers on how Trump reacted to news coverage of the payment to Daniels.
Trump’s conviction has been a significant talking point for Democrats, but it remains to be seen whether it will have any impact on the upcoming election. For now, Trump can focus on his campaign, and the American people will have the final say on November 5th. As for Trump, he will have to await his sentencing and the outcome of his appeal before moving forward with his plans.
