Judge Declines Trump’s Bid to Halt Sentencing in Hush Money Case
A Manhattan judge on Monday denied President-elect Donald Trump’s request to halt sentencing in his hush money case while he appeals the ruling that upheld his conviction. This decision clears the way for sentencing to proceed on Friday, just over a week before Trump’s inauguration.
Judge Juan M. Merchan rejected Trump’s plea to delay the proceedings indefinitely while his legal team appeals the conviction in a state appellate court.
Trump, who faces sentencing for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, is poised to become the first president to take office while convicted of a crime.
Despite the setback, Trump’s legal team retains the option of requesting the appellate court to intervene and postpone the sentencing.
Meanwhile, they have informed the court that Trump will appear at the sentencing via video link rather than in person, citing the complexities of the presidential transition process.
Last week, Judge Merchan dismissed Trump’s attempt to have the case thrown out on the grounds of his imminent assumption of the presidency. The judge, however, indicated that he is unlikely to impose any punitive measures despite the gravity of the charges.
Following Merchan’s ruling, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, calling the decision “the end of the Presidency as we know it” if allowed to stand.
In addition to the ongoing appeal of the conviction, Trump’s lawyers are challenging Judge Merchan’s earlier refusal to dismiss the case on the basis of presidential immunity.
Although they have filed paperwork in the appellate division of the state’s trial court on Monday, but no hearing dates have been set.
