On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump lost his attempt to postpone his sentencing for his criminal conviction related to hush money payments made to a porn star. Despite arguments from his legal team citing presidential immunity and the demands of his upcoming inauguration, the judge rejected the request.
Trump’s Legal Team Cites Presidential Immunity
Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, argued on Monday morning that Justice Juan Merchan’s intention not to impose penalties on Trump held little significance. They emphasized that the violations of presidential immunity should not be overlooked in favor of rushing the sentencing before the January 20 inauguration.
“Presidential immunity violations cannot be ignored in favor of a rushed pre-inauguration sentencing,” the lawyers wrote in a court filing, urging the court to delay the proceedings until after the appeals process concluded.
Judge Merchan Rejects Delay Request
Later on Monday, Justice Juan Merchan issued a written ruling, dismissing Trump’s motion. He described the request as largely repetitive of previous arguments Trump had made. Merchan reaffirmed his decision to proceed with the January 10 sentencing, which he had scheduled the previous week.
In setting the sentencing date for Friday, Merchan noted that he did not intend to incarcerate Trump. Instead, he indicated that an unconditional discharge, which would record the judgment of guilt without imposing a fine or probation, would be the most practical solution given Trump’s imminent inauguration.
Prosecution Pushes for Timely Sentencing
Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office strongly opposed Trump’s bid for a delay. They stressed the importance of prompt prosecution and the need for finality in criminal proceedings.
“The balance of equities weighs heavily in the People’s favor given the strong public interest in prompt prosecution and the finality of criminal proceedings,” the prosecutors wrote in response to Trump’s motion.
The case stems from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actor Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump—an allegation he denies. A jury in May found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal the payment before the 2016 election, making him the first U.S. president, sitting or former, to be convicted of a crime.
Previous Attempts to Dismiss the Case Fail
Since the guilty verdict, Trump’s legal team has made two unsuccessful attempts to have the case dismissed. They argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in a separate case, which stated that presidents cannot be prosecuted for official acts, should apply to Trump. However, Merchan ruled that the hush money case involved Trump’s personal conduct and did not fall under presidential immunity.
Even after Trump won reelection, his lawyers contended that the case would hinder his ability to govern. Merchan rejected this argument, stating that overturning the jury’s verdict would undermine the rule of law. Despite the legal team’s efforts, Trump’s sentencing remains scheduled for Friday, with the judge allowing him to appear either in person or virtually.
