In an unprecedented legal development, a New York judge on Friday scheduled President-elect Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush-money case for January 10, just 10 days before he is set to take the oath of office and return to the White House.
According to the Associated Press, the judge indicated that Trump will not face jail time.
Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over Trump’s trial, revealed in a written decision that he plans to impose a conditional discharge, a legal outcome that dismisses the case if the defendant avoids any further arrests.
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Trump’s Communication Director, Steven Cheung, responded Friday, “Today’s order by the deeply conflicted Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence. This lawless case should have never been brought and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed. President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”
Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to an alleged hush money payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Prosecutors argued that the payment was intended to silence Daniels’ claims of an affair with Trump, a story he has consistently denied. Trump maintains that he did nothing wrong and has characterized the case as politically motivated. Legal experts have argued that this case was unprecedented and should have never been brought to trial.
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Following Trump’s victory in the November 5 election, Judge Merchan temporarily halted proceedings and postponed sentencing to allow both sides to assess the case’s implications. Trump’s legal team argued that continuing the case could pose unconstitutional disruptions to his ability to govern effectively as president.
Prosecutors acknowledged the need to accommodate Trump’s upcoming presidency but maintained that the conviction should remain in place. They proposed several options, including pausing the case during Trump’s term, issuing a no-jail sentence, or closing the case while formally noting the conviction and Trump’s ongoing appeal.
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In his decision, Judge Merchan chose the conditional discharge approach, ensuring that the case would not interfere with Trump’s duties as president.
While this decision resolves the immediate conflict, it leaves the conviction intact and subject to ongoing legal appeals.
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