NEW YORK, USA – The New York judge presiding over Donald Trump‘s hush money case postponed sentencing on Friday, November 22, 2024, granting additional time to consider whether the case should be dismissed in light of Trump’s recent presidential election victory.
Originally scheduled for next week, the sentencing now awaits further legal arguments and a ruling on complex constitutional questions.
State Judge Juan Merchan issued a brief order extending deadlines for legal filings. Trump’s defense team has until Dec. 2 to submit arguments for dismissing the case, and prosecutors have until Dec. 9 to respond.
The judge also deferred his decision on whether the conviction should be set aside based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding presidential immunity.
Merchan had initially planned to rule by Nov. 19 but did not set a new sentencing date.
Arguments Over Presidential Immunity
Trump’s lawyers argue that his presidential-elect status grants him immunity from criminal proceedings.
“Just as a sitting President is completely immune from any criminal process, so too is President Trump as President-elect,” attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove stated in a filing.
They also argued that any sentencing would need to occur after his presidency ends, contending that the delay would be too long to justify.
Prosecutors acknowledged the unprecedented legal complexities posed by Trump’s election victory.
In their filing, they stated, “The People deeply respect the Office of the President, are mindful of the demands and obligations of the presidency, and acknowledge that Defendant’s inauguration will raise unprecedented legal questions.”
They suggested that criminal proceedings could be deferred until Trump’s term concludes, as a potential compromise to balance constitutional concerns.
Trial and Conviction
Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, marking the first criminal conviction of a former U.S. president.
The charges stem from allegations that Trump falsified records to conceal hush money payments made by his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Daniels alleges a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, a claim he denies.
The trial garnered significant attention as it marked a historic moment in U.S. legal and political history.
Trump’s lawyers have consistently challenged the conviction, arguing that the Supreme Court’s expanded presidential immunity ruling in July undermines the evidence used against him in the New York trial.
Broader Legal Implications
The hush money case is one of four criminal cases Trump has faced since leaving office in 2021.
While this case has reached a conviction, the others remain in various stages of resolution.
Two federal cases have slowed following Trump’s election victory, and a state case in Georgia faces delays as Trump and co-defendants challenge the prosecutor’s involvement.
As the nation awaits Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, the outcome of these proceedings may redefine the scope of presidential immunity and set precedents for future cases involving high-ranking officials.
