NEW YORK — A judge has decided to delay the sentencing in the high-profile hush money case involving former President Donald Trump, allowing his legal team the opportunity to file a motion to dismiss the charges. This postponement came after the Manhattan district attorney expressed no opposition to granting more time for legal arguments.
In a landmark legal outcome earlier in May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to influence the 2016 presidential election, marking him as the initial president-elect in U.S. history convicted of a criminal offense. The charges stemmed from allegations that Trump orchestrated payments to silence claims of a previous sexual encounter with adult film actress Stormy Daniels, which he vehemently denies.
The case throws into sharp relief the nearly $130,000 paid to Daniels to purportedly prevent disruption to Trump’s campaign, a maneuver that Trump and his representatives argue was politically motivated. The payment was intended to keep Daniels from going public with her story, effectively shielding Trump’s presidential campaign from potential fallout just before Election Day.
Justice Juan Merchan of the New York State Supreme Court pushed back the original sentencing date scheduled for Tuesday. The new timeline dictates that Trump’s attorneys must file their motion to dismiss by December 2, with prosecutors set to respond by December 9. However, a new date for sentencing has not been established, nor has the judge indicated when a decision on the dismissal motion would occur.
Amidst these legal proceedings, Trump has persistently maintained his innocence, dismissing the case as part of a broader witch hunt intended to diminish his political influence. This sentiment was echoed by a campaign spokesman who, following the judge’s recent decision, stated that the American electorate’s decision to return Trump to office signifies a mandate to dismiss the ongoing cases, which they termed remnants of a witch hunt.
The district attorney’s office previously proposed pausing all legal proceedings against Trump until the end of his presidency, suggesting significant constitutional impediments could arise, complicating his ability to govern effectively if distracting litigations continue.
Trump’s return to the White House in January, as forecasted by his recent electoral victory over Kamala Harris, seems likely to influence the outcomes or continuations of his multiple legal battles. These include charges from last year relating to the retention of classified documents post-presidency and attempts to contest the 2020 election results.
As Trump prepares for his second term, legal experts have suggested prison time is unlikely, speculating instead that fines or probation would be more probable outcomes. Moreover, the likelihood of severe penalties has seemingly diminished following his election victory.
Additionally, Trump has opted to nominate his current attorneys in the hush money case, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, to senior positions in the Justice Department. This move further highlights the intertwining of legal and political narratives shaping Trump’s return to executive power, granting him potential leverage over ongoing legal cases in New York and Georgia.
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