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From Politico: Prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday that they oppose Donald Trump’s bid to throw out the Manhattan hush money case now that he is president-elect, but do not object to an indefinite delay of the sentencing for his criminal conviction.
They appeared to concede the possibility, if not the likelihood, that Trump’s sentencing would have to be delayed until after he leaves office in January 2029.
Prosecutors suggested the judge who oversaw the trial, Justice Juan Merchan, give both Trump and prosecutors an opportunity to argue over Trump’s claim that dismissing the case is “necessary to avoid unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern.”
In a letter to Merchan, prosecutors proposed a Dec. 9 deadline to present those arguments — a timeline that would mean postponing Trump’s Nov. 26 sentencing hearing.
Trump’s legal team has argued that the entire ‘hush money’ case should be thrown out, including the jury’s ‘guilty’ verdict over the ’34 felony counts’ which Bragg had charged Trump with.
While acknowledging that sitting presidents are generally thought to be immune from prosecution, Bragg’s office claims that this case is “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.”
In the case, Bragg accused Trump of 34 counts of “falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment” to Daniels.
NEW: @ManhattanDA floats delaying Donald Trump’s sentencing until 2029.
“Consideration must be given to various non-dismissal options … such as deferral of all remaining criminal proceedings until after the end of Defendant’s upcoming presidential term,” DA Alvin Bragg said. pic.twitter.com/HJXlufYuqi
— Frank G. Runyeon (@frankrunyeon) November 19, 2024
Judge Juan Merchan’s decision is reportedly still pending. Fox News wrote:
Merchan can move to either delay Trump’s sentencing until after he leaves the White House, can dismiss the conviction outright, or can grant a sentence of unconditional discharge, which would leave the conviction intact but free Trump from any prison time, fines, or probation.
Meanwhile, the Trump team is claiming victory. Trump Communications Director Steven Cheung released the following statement:
“This is a total and definitive victory for President Trump and the American People who elected him in a landslide. The Manhattan DA has conceded that this Witch Hunt cannot continue. The lawless case is now stayed, and President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all.”
🚨 NEW: Statement from Trump Communications Director @StevenCheung on President Trump’s total and definitive victory against Alvin Bragg’s corrupt witch hunt. pic.twitter.com/DHTZMLqVEA
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) November 19, 2024
Manhattan DA will fight Trump’s effort to get his hush money case dismissed https://t.co/fdPlWnodSo
— POLITICO (@politico) November 19, 2024
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