Trump pushes to delay hush-money sentencing
By: Aysha Bagchi
USA Today
..... Former President Donald Trump asked a New York judge to delay the sentencing in his criminal hush-money case until after the November [2024] election, arguing the only reason for the current schedule is to interfere in the campaign.
.....
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced September 18 [2024] on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to a sex scandal cover-up during the 2016 presidential election, after a Manhattan jury found him guilty on all counts in May. [2024]
..... Judge Juan Merchan has said he plans to rule September 16 [0224] on Trump's motion to toss out the guilty verdict based on a controversial July Supreme Court ruling granting former presidents wide immunity form prosecution, and that sentencing will go forward if it remains necessary after his decision.
..... In the Wednesday [08/14/2024] letter requesting a delay, Trump's legal team argued Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg shouldn't be allowed to file a sentencing recommendation while Trump's immunity motion is still pending, since tehre won't be any sentencing if Trump wins the motion, and the recommendations itself could harm the Republican presidential nominee. By delaying sentencing, Merchan would fix that problem, they said.
..... The prosecution;s sentencing recommendation will include what the Supreme Court described in its immunity ruling as "the 'threat of punishment,' in a manner that is personally and politically prejudicial to President Trump and his family, and harmful to the institution of the Presidency," according to the letter.
..... The Trump legal team also argued they should have the option to fully appeal Merchan's expected immunity ruling before any sentencing takes place - a proposition that would likely push sentencing back by months at least.
..... "Put simply, until (Bragg's) Presidential immunity violations are addressed fully and finally, this Court may not "adjudicate' the matter - including at sentencing," Trump's lawyers wrote.
.... The Trump legal team also characterized the current schedule as rushed, and said there is no bases to continue.