Former President Donald Trump has expressed his opinions following a decision to delay his sentencing in the New York v. Trump case until after the 2024 presidential election.
Judge Juan Merchan agreed to postpone the sentencing, responding to a request from Trump's legal team to avoid impacting the electoral process, as Fox News reports.
Merchan set the new date for Nov. 26. The sentencing had already been rescheduled twice, first from July 11 to Sept. 18. Trump's lawyers argued that a sentencing during the election season would unduly influence and disrupt the proceedings.
Trump has harshly criticized the case in its entirety, claiming his innocence and assertingthat the subsequent delays indicate the lack of grounds for his conviction.
"The case should be dead," Trump stated, emphasizing that he committed no wrongdoing and describing the case as politically charged. He added: "The public understands that and so does every legal scholar that has looked at it and studied it."
Judge Merchan justified the delay by stating the public's trust in the judicial system necessitated a distraction-free sentencing, should it be required. He emphasized the complexity of the current period and the need for a focused sentencing hearing.
Merchan explained, "The public's confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury and the weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion." Explaining the depth of the situation, he remarked, "We are now at a place in time that is fraught with complexities rendering the requirements of a sentencing hearing, should one be necessary, difficult to execute."
Trump's appeal is based on arguments related to presidential immunity, which he says are supported by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling. He continues to challenge the verdict and questions the impartiality of the judicial process.
Adding to the controversy, Trump suggested a conflict of interest connected to Judge Merchan’s daughter, who has worked with Democratic candidates, further implying political motivation behind his conviction. Trump maintained, "The case was delayed because everyone realizes there was no case and I did nothing wrong."
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump, echoed the president’s sentiments, calling the case an "election interference witch hunt" and criticizing the judicial proceedings.
"There should be no sentencing in the Manhattan DA’s election interference witch hunt," Cheung declared, referencing what he views as politically motivated attacks against Trump. Cheung added, "As mandated by the United States Supreme Court, this case, along with all of the other Harris-Biden hoaxes, should be dismissed."
Judge Juan Merchan granted former President Donald Trump's request to delay his sentencing, now scheduled for Nov. 26. The delay follows Trump's appeal of the verdict resulting from a six-week trial led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump continues to claim his innocence and criticizes the case as politically motivated, raising questions about judicial impartiality.
Merchan asserts that public trust in the judicial system necessitates a focused and distraction-free sentencing hearing if it occurs. The trial's evidence included official communications from Trump’s administration, and the president’s legal team has invoked presidential immunity in its appeal. Trump's statements and the involvement of Judge Merchan’s daughter in Democratic campaigns have fueled ongoing political and legal debates.
