The Manhattan district attorney's office has pushed back against former President Donald Trump's recent attempt to delay proceedings in his hush money criminal case.
According to The Hill, prosecutors argue that Trump's latest bid to move the case to federal court should not halt the ongoing state court process, particularly as his sentencing date approaches.
In a letter to Judge Juan Merchan, state prosecutors contend that federal law does not require a stay of proceedings while Trump's removal request is under consideration. This development comes as Trump's legal team seeks to postpone rulings on presidential immunity and the timing of his sentencing, scheduled for September 18.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo emphasized in the letter that the court is not obligated to pause its activities during the review of Trump's removal notice. The prosecutors maintain that the case should proceed as planned, urging Judge Merchan to rule on outstanding motions related to presidential immunity and sentencing timing.
The district attorney's office characterizes Trump's concerns about the case's timing in relation to the upcoming November election as a result of his own legal strategies. They point out that Trump's second attempt to move the case to federal court came nearly ten months after his first unsuccessful try and three months after his conviction.
Despite their opposition to delays, prosecutors have stated they will defer to Judge Merchan's decision regarding whether Trump's sentencing should proceed as scheduled on September 18.
Trump's attorneys have presented arguments for delaying the state court proceedings, citing the potential for "direct and irreparable harm" to his 2024 presidential campaign. They contend that continuing with what they describe as a "purely political" state prosecution could unfairly impact the election.
In their communication with Judge Merchan, Trump's legal team requested that he refrain from ruling on the presidential immunity motion. They further argued that the judge should not move forward with Trump's sentencing while the removal proceeding is ongoing.
Trump's lawyers argued that the judge cannot proceed with the September 18 sentencing while the removal process is still underway. This request underscores the defense's strategy to potentially shift the case to federal court and delay key decisions in the state court proceedings.
The case against former President Trump centers on 34 counts of falsifying business records stemming from a hush money payment made to a porn actor before the 2016 presidential election. The payment was allegedly orchestrated by Michael Cohen, Trump's former fixer, to keep the actor's claimed affair with Trump under wraps.
Trump was convicted on these charges in May 2024. Throughout the legal process, he has consistently denied both the affair allegations and any wrongdoing related to the payment.
The Manhattan district attorney's office, in addressing Trump's removal attempt, noted:
Federal law is clear that proceedings in this Court need not be stayed pending the district court's resolution of defendant's removal notice.
The Manhattan district attorney's office is resisting former President Trump's efforts to delay his hush-money case proceedings. Prosecutors argue that the case should move forward despite Trump's attempt to transfer it to federal court. Trump's legal team contends that continuing the state prosecution could harm his 2024 presidential campaign. The case, which resulted in Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records in May, stems from a hush money payment made prior to the 2016 election.
