George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley on Tuesday criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s suggestion that Judge Juan Merchan consider delaying remaining case proceedings until President-elect Donald Trump’s term ends in 2029.
Prosecutors indicated in a Tuesday filing that they would not oppose a continued delay in Trump’s sentencing date, which is currently scheduled for Nov. 26. Turley, on “America Reports,” said if Merchan sides with Bragg, it will probably benefit the district attorney and the judge — but not the United States or “justice.”
READ: South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace Spars With ABC Reporter Pressing Her Trans Bathroom Bill
WATCH:
“The worst possible scenario, in my view, is to keep this matter pending during the four years of the administration. You cannot have a local district attorney treat a sitting president like a freak on a leash, where he just is able to say that, ‘I will finish this once you’re out of office,’” Turley said. “It elevates the district attorney to a grotesque level. It also leaves this local judge as determining the ultimate outcome of the president of the United States. It doesn’t serve the nation or justice to have that type of lingering question for the next four years.”
“Now it certainly serves everyone in New York politically. It serves Bragg, it likely serves this judge politically, but it doesn’t serve the nation. And so the question that we’ll be looking at with this new hearing that’s likely to occur is whether the judge will listen to his better angels and dismiss this case,” he added. “As I’ve said before, I do not believe that the mere election or reelection of President Trump is the basis for simply dismissing this case. I don’t think that the local judge will view it that way. He has a jury verdict on all of these counts.”
However, Turley suggested that Merchan has “an off-ramp” to dismiss the case due to certain evidence in Trump’s trial that potentially breached the U.S. Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling, which it issued after the verdict.
“But once again, to return where I began, the worst option for justice and for this nation is to do what Bragg is suggesting, to allow him to hold this leash on a sitting American president for four years … This is the face of rage,” he added. “It’s addictive. It’s hard to let go. And they want to drag this out for four more years.”
A Manhattan jury convicted Trump in May on 34 counts for falsifying business records. Merchan paused all deadlines in the case on Nov. 12 in light of Trump’s election victory, delaying his decision on the president-elect’s motion to dismiss the verdict based on the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling.
“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,” prosecutors wrote. “We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system.”
“No current law establishes that a president’s temporary immunity from prosecution requires dismissal of a post-trial criminal proceeding that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution and that is based on unofficial conduct for which the defendant is also not immune,” the filing continues.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Android Users: Download our free app to stay up-to-date on the latest news.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
First published by the Daily Caller News Foundation.