Trump asks court to postpone sentencing before inauguration

President-elect Donald Trump has asked a New York judge to block his sentencing in his felony hush money case, which is Scheduled for January 10.

His lawyers announced Monday that Trump will appeal Justice Juan Merchan’s ruling, which ordered that the sentencing be moved forward.

In court filings, Trump’s lawyers wrote that they would seek to dismiss “this politically motivated prosecution that was flawed from the beginning”.

In May 2024, Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, making him the first former president to be convicted of a crime.

The allegations stem from Trump’s attempt to disguise as legal expenses the reimbursement of hush money payments to an adult film star.

Trump pleaded innocent and denied any wrongdoing. His lawyers said the filing of the appeal should halt criminal proceedings in his New York case.

The sentencing was repeatedly delayed due to the 2024 presidential election and Trump’s attempt to dismiss the case based on his claim of presidential immunity. Justice Merchan ultimately rejected the immunity argument in December.

On January 3, Justice Merchan issued an order stating that he would proceed with sentencing before Trump took office, but wrote that he would not consider any sentence of imprisonment.

He ordered Trump to appear for the hearing virtually or in person.

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Trump’s presidential transition, said, “The American people elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to demand an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and all remaining witch hunts.”

Trump’s team has not commented publicly on whether the president-elect will be in court, but in its response Monday afternoon to the request for a stay, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said “the sentencing will take place virtually rather than in person.” referred to the defendant’s decision to appear. , The reference to virtual hearings was repeated again several pages later.

In response, the district attorney asked the judge to deny Trump’s request for an immediate stay of sentencing, arguing that he would not be prejudiced by such a decision.

A flurry of legal filings followed in the weeks after the election from both Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who brought the case, and Trump’s legal team.

Bragg’s office had previously indicated that they would not oppose delaying Trump’s sentencing until he completes his term in office four years from now.

But Bragg has asked the judge to proceed with sentencing on Friday after Justice Marchen decided not to proceed with sentencing.

In his order last week, Justice Merchan wrote that “it is the Court’s firm belief that only by finalizing this case” will the legal implications be resolved.

However, the judge left the door open to the possibility that Trump might want to appeal the conviction, writing that he “should be allowed to take advantage of every available appeal”.