Presidential election scores Trump a legal victory in hush money case

Sep 06, 2024

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

Former President Donald Trump’s sentencing for a New York hush money conviction will have to wait until after the 2024 presidential election. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan agreed on Friday, Sept. 6, to postpone handing down the sentence until Nov. 26, right before Thanksgiving, marking the second time it has been delayed.

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The sentencing, originally scheduled for July 11, was pushed back the first time because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, which moved the July date to Sept. 18. Now, the presidential race complicates the matter.

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Merchan wrote in his ruling that he is delaying the sentencing “to avoid any appearance the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching presidential election in which the defendant is a candidate. The court is a fair, impartial and apolitical institution.”

He added, this “should dispel any suggestion” otherwise.

Trump’s lawyers said punishing Trump in the homestretch of his presidential campaign would amount to election interference. The defense also argued that delaying the sentencing allows them more time to determine their next steps after Merchan eventually rules on Trump’s request to throw out the conviction on the grounds of presidential immunity.

Merchan also delayed that decision until Nov. 12.

A jury found Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in May. The former president faces up to four years in prison, but legal experts note that he is likely to only get probation or community service.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Donald Trump, Election, Stormy Daniels, Trump investigations, Trump Organization

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SENTENCING FOR A NEW YORK HUSH MONEY CONVICTION WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

MANHATTAN JUDGE JUAN MERCHAN AGREED FRIDAY TO POSTPONE HANDING DOWN THE SENTENCE UNTIL NOVEMBER 26TH– MARKING THE SECOND TIME IT’S BEEN DELAYED.

ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR JULY 11TH– A SUPREME COURT RULING ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY PUSHED THE INITIAL SENTENCING TO SEPTEMBER 18TH– NOW THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE COMPLICATES THE MATTER.

MERCHAN WROTE IN HIS RULING; HE IS DELAYING THE SENTENCING “TO AVOID ANY APPEARANCE– HOWEVER UNWARRANTED– THAT THE PROCEEDING HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY OR SEEKS TO AFFECT THE APPROACHING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN WHICH THE DEFENDANT IS A CANDIDATE. THE COURT IS A FAIR, IMPARTIAL AND APOLITICAL INSTITUTION.” ADDING, THIS “SHOULD DISPEL ANY SUGGESTION” OTHERWISE.

TRUMP’S LAWYERS SAID PUNISHING TRUMP IN THE HOMESTRETCH OF THE CAMPAIGN WOULD AMOUNT TO ELECTION INTERFERENCE.

THE DEFENSE ALSO ARGUED DELAYING THE SENTENCING GIVES THEM TIME TO DETERMINE THEIR NEXT STEPS AFTER MERCHAN EVENTUALLY RULES ON TRUMP’S REQUEST TO THROW OUT THE CONVICTION ON THE GROUNDS OF PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY.

MERCHAN ALSO DELAYED THAT DECISION UNTIL NOVEMBER 12TH.

A JURY FOUND TRUMP GUILTY ON ALL 34 COUNTS OF FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS IN MAY.

THE FORMER PRESIDENT FACES UP TO FOUR YEARS IN PRISON BUT LEGAL EXPERTS NOTE HE’S LIKELY TO GET PROBATION OR COMMUNITY SERVICE.

FOR MORE ON TRUMP’S COURT CASE AND THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.