Former President Donald Trump will not be sentenced in his New York criminal hush money case until after the Nov. 5 presidential election, a judge ruled Friday. The sentencing date, which was set for Sept. 18, will instead take place on Nov. 26, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan ruled.
And Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will not be sentenced at all if the court grants his request to dismiss the case in light of a Supreme Court ruling expanding the scope of presidential immunity. Merchan in his four-page order said he will rule on Trump’s bid to vacate the jury’s guilty verdict on Nov. 12. Trump will be sentenced “if necessary” two weeks later, Merchan ruled.
“This matter is one that stands alone, in a unique place in this Nation’s history,” the judge wrote. If Trump is sentenced, then the public deserves “a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury,” and one that is “free from distraction or distortion.”
The case centers on a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen to keep porn star Stormy Daniels from speaking ahead of the 2016 presidential election about an alleged one-night stand with Trump years earlier. Trump reimbursed Cohen in monthly installments after he won the election.
Trump in mid-July had asked Merchan to dismiss the case and vacate the guilty verdict against him, pointing to the Supreme Court’s bombshell July 1 ruling that granted former presidents “presumptive immunity” for their official acts in office. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office replied that that ruling was irrelevant to the hush money case and wouldn’t support erasing the jury’s verdict even if it did apply.
Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly sought to get Merchan to recuse himself from the case, accusing him of political bias. Merchan rejected two recusal requests ahead of the trial, which began in mid-April and ended in late May with Trump’s conviction on 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records.
The potential implications of this event on the political landscape and the legal system are significant. The delay in sentencing could impact the outcome of the upcoming presidential election and further polarize public opinion on Trump’s legal issues. Additionally, the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity may have long-term consequences for future cases involving former presidents.
Overall, the outcome of this case will be closely watched by both supporters and critics of President Trump, as it could have far-reaching implications for the legal standing of former presidents in the future. The delay in sentencing and the ongoing legal battles surrounding this case highlight the complex and contentious nature of Trump’s presidency and its aftermath.
