Manhattan DA Agrees to Delay Trump’s Sentencing Over Illegal Payments Case
The Manhattan district attorney announced a decision to delay the sentencing of President-elect Donald Trump to provide room for addressing an anticipated motion to dismiss the case. The case in question is centered around illegal payments made to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels, a revelation reported by CNN.
Trump’s Likely Sentence Postponement
In a letter sent to Judge Juan Merchan, the district attorney’s office indicated that Trump’s sentencing is not expected to occur “until after the end of the defendant’s next presidential term.” Regardless of this delay, the district attorney maintains that Trump’s felony conviction should remain upheld.
A Shift in Trump’s Legal Status
This situation marks a significant shift in Trump’s legal and political trajectory. Just a year ago, Trump was dealing with four separate indictments. However, as he readies himself to return to the White House, his legal team’s strategy to postpone all his cases beyond the 2024 election has been largely successful. Two federal cases are now on the brink of closure, the Georgia case has been dormant for a while, and the New York case is nearing a conclusion without a conviction.
Trump’s Conviction Details
In May, Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. These charges were related to payments made to his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to reimburse a $130,000 payment. This amount was paid to adult-film star Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair before the 2016 election. Trump has consistently denied the affair.
Manhattan DA’s Argument Against Dismissal
In their communication with the judge, the Manhattan district attorney argued against the dismissal of Trump’s conviction. The district attorney’s office stated, “No current law establishes that a president’s temporary immunity from prosecution requires the dismissal of a post-trial criminal prosecution that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from prosecution and that is based on official conduct for which the defendant is also not immune.”
Trump’s Team Claims Victory
Despite these developments, Trump’s spokesman Steven Cheung labeled the filing as “a total and definitive victory for President Trump.”
