The judge overseeing the hush money case against former President Donald Trump has delayed his sentencing until after the November election.
Trump was convicted in May of 34 felonies for falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels, The Associated Press reported.
The former president was scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, or as the AP pointed out about seven weeks before the election. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan now set the sentencing as Nov. 26, about 20 days after the election which is on Nov. 5.
In a letter from Merchand, obtained by Politico, explaining the delay, he wrote, “the imposition of sentence will be adjourned 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.”
He said, “This is not a decision this Court makes lightly but it is the decision which in this Court’s view, best advances the interests of justice.”
Merchan still has to decide on the defense’s motion to overturn the convictions due to presidential immunity.
The Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents have immunity “for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority.” The ruling specified his “constitutional authority” not for unofficial acts, Chief Justice John Roberts said.
Merchan also said that the decision on whether or not to throw out the jury’s conviction “will be handed down off-calendar on November 12, 2024.”
The request to delay the sentencing was made by Trump’s lawyers but Manhattan district attorney Alvan Bragg deferred to the judge, The New York Times reported.
Trump also asked a federal court to step in. His legal team said that if he had been sentenced in the midst of a campaign that would equal election interference.
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