New York Judge Delays Sentencing for President-Elect Trump’s 34 Criminal Convictions
A New York judge has confirmed that President-elect Donald Trump will not be sentenced this month on 34 criminal counts in a hush money case that was concluded in the summer. The judge has set a schedule for prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers to further discuss how to proceed. This decision comes amidst a flurry of filings in the case since Trump’s election win on November 5th.
The original sentencing date of November 26th has been postponed, with no new date set. Judge Juan M. Merchan has called for further submissions from both sides over the next two-and-a-half weeks to determine the next steps, considering Trump’s impending reinauguration.
The constitutional implications of a president-elect facing criminal convictions and sentencing before taking office are unclear, as this situation is unprecedented. Trump’s lawyers are pushing to have the case dismissed immediately, citing interference with his presidential duties. Prosecutors are open to putting the case on hold while Trump is in office but do not want it to be dropped entirely.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has stressed the importance of finding a balance between the obligations of the presidency and the sanctity of the jury verdict. Trump’s conviction in May was for falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels before he became a public official. Trump denies the claims and insists he did nothing wrong. Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, has called the judge’s ruling a “decisive win” for Trump.
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