Suspense As Judge Sets To Sentence Trump Before Inauguration

A judge has ordered that Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10th in his hush-money case in New York, just days before he is set to be sworn in as president.

Judge Juan Merchan from New York indicated that he would not send Trump to jail or impose probation or a fine. Instead, he plans to grant an “unconditional discharge,” meaning Trump could attend the hearing either in person or virtually.

Trump had tried to use his presidential election win to get the case dismissed. On social media, the president-elect dismissed the judge’s ruling, calling it an “illegitimate political attack” and labeling the case as “nothing but a rigged charade.”

Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records. These charges stemmed from a $130,000 payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump during the final days of the 2016 election campaign. The payment was made through his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who was reimbursed for the hush money. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, pleading not guilty, and argued that the case was an attempt to damage his 2024 presidential campaign.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the judge’s order “goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it.” His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, called the ruling part of a “witch hunt.” Cheung added, “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.” He also stated there should be no sentencing and that Trump would continue fighting these “hoaxes” until they were “all dead.”

Trump argued that the case would overshadow his presidency and hinder his ability to govern. In response, Justice Merchan stated that he had been given several options to address Trump’s concerns without resorting to the extreme measure of overturning the jury’s verdict. One option included delaying the sentencing until Trump, 78, finishes his term in 2029, or guaranteeing that the sentence would not involve prison time.

Initially, Trump had argued that the case against him violated a Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity. In July, the court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official actions” taken while in office. However, Justice Merchan ruled last month that the hush money conviction remained valid.

Trump is on track to become the first convicted felon to serve as president. After his sentencing, he may try to appeal the conviction. While falsifying business records in the U.S. can carry a sentence of up to four years in prison, there is no minimum sentence, and jail time is not required. Legal experts had predicted that Trump would likely avoid jail due to his age and legal history.

Besides this case, Trump faces charges in three other criminal cases: one related to classified documents and two concerning his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Initially, Trump was scheduled to be sentenced on November 26, but Judge Merchan postponed the date after Trump won the election.

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