Judge Postpones Trump’s Sentencing in the Hush Money Case

Key Takeaway: Trump’s hush money sentencing delayed to November 26 by judge, averting pre-election penalties amid ongoing legal battles.

A New York judge has postponed the sentencing of ex-President Donald Trump until November 26, effectively ensuring no criminal penalties until after the upcoming election. This delay comes amidst Trump’s legal approach of seeking continuances in multiple cases, hoping a possible return to the presidency might halt the prosecutions against him.

Trump has successfully delayed three out of four criminal cases by concentrating on pretrial motions. This decision offers him similar relief in his hush money case, the only case resulting in a guilty verdict so far.

Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the seven-week trial, initially decided to announce Trump’s sentence on September 18. However, he conceded to the delay when Trump’s legal team asserted that more time was required, possibly to appeal if the 34-count conviction was not overturned due to presidential immunity.

Merchan stated that delaying the sentencing would prevent influencing the election and avoid his ruling being affected by the election’s result. The judge noted that if the trial were to proceed, it would pose one of the most significant challenges a judge could face: sentencing a former president found guilty by a jury.

Trump’s early attempts to delay the trial were unsuccessful – a federal judge rejected his request to transfer the case to federal court for lack of “good cause”. However, with the Supreme Court expanding the scope of presidential immunity, Trump found a new pathway to pursue delays.

Following Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 counts related to falsifying business records tied to hush money payments during his 2016 campaign, Merchan initially scheduled sentencing for July. However, after a Supreme Court decision granting former presidents presumptive immunity for official acts, Trump’s team requested further postponements.

The judge moved the sentencing to September, allowing Trump time to appeal the verdict. Despite the hush money payments being primarily linked to activities before his presidency, his defense team argued that the jury was improperly exposed to protected materials.

The judge planned to rule on the immunity arguments by September 16, potentially creating last-minute uncertainty ahead of the scheduled sentencing. Trump’s legal team maintained that the timeline was too tight for him to adequately exercise his right to appeal and protect his future legal standing.

Merchan finally decided to postpone any decision on the immunity question until November 12, which also falls post-election. If the conviction holds, sentencing will occur on November 26, with Merchan emphasizing the court’s independent operation without political bias.