Judge Merchan POSTPONES Trump Sentencing
Donald J. Trump just got great news.
The former president’s sentencing in his hush-money case has been postponed to November 26, well past the upcoming presidential election. The decision, handed down by Judge Juan Merchan in New York, marks a departure from the previously scheduled date of September 18. The delay affects the sentencing phase of the case New York v. Trump, in which Trump faces felony criminal charges.
Merchan stressed the gravity of his decision to delay President Trump’s sentencing, stating, “This is not a decision this Court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this Court’s view, best advances the interests of justice.” The ruling was issued on Friday.
“Unfortunately, we are now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute,” Merchan wrote.
“There should be no sentencing in the Manhattan DA’s Election Interference Witch Hunt. As mandated by the United States Supreme Court, this case, along with all of the other Harris-Biden Hoaxes, should be dismissed,” Steven Cheung, Trump campaign spokesperson said to Fox News.
Trump was convicted on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, a verdict stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s extensive investigation. This conviction concluded a six-week trial. On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan agreed to postpone the sentencing originally set for September 18 to a later date, following a request from Trump’s legal team.
They sought the delay to prepare for an appeal based on a forthcoming ruling on presidential immunity, anticipated by September 16. This decision marks a significant moment as it would have been the first sentencing of a former president on criminal charges. The charges against Trump relate to a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the closing stages of the 2016 presidential campaign.
In an August 14 filing, Trump’s attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove argued that “a single business day is an unreasonably short period of time” for filing an appeal according to NBC News. “There is no basis for continuing to rush,” the pair wrote, advocating for a more considered timeline.
On top of postponing former Trump’s sentencing to November 26, Judge Merchan also said he would address Trump’s motion to vacate the verdict on November 12. This decision, tied to an anticipated Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, will also come after the election.
On May 30, Trump was convicted on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in connection with a hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Prosecutors claimed Trump falsified the documents to hide illegal actions, including campaign finance violations. The jury took just over a day to deliberate, delivering a verdict with far-reaching legal and political consequences. Despite the conviction, Trump has maintained support from his base and many within the GOP.
This comes following his courtroom appearance in New York this morning to contest the verdict in the E. Jean Carroll sex abuse case, Trump vehemently dismissed the allegations in statements to the press.
