The Manhattan district attorney's office has urged a judge to proceed with former President Donald Trump's hush money case, despite his recent bid to move it to federal court.
According to Blogging Big Blue, prosecutors argue that Trump's request should not halt the ongoing proceedings as his sentencing date approaches.
In a letter to Judge Juan Merchan, made public on Tuesday, state prosecutors recommended that the court ignore requests for delay due to Trump's removal bid. Instead, they suggested that the judge rule on the former president's outstanding motions regarding presidential immunity and the timing of his sentencing.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo argued against postponing the proceedings, citing federal law. The prosecutors maintain that the court should continue with the case despite Trump's attempt to move it to federal jurisdiction.
Trump's legal team filed a second request last week to transfer his New York state criminal case to federal court. They claim that continuing with the "purely political" state prosecution will cause "direct and irreparable harm" to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
In response to this move, Trump's lawyers appealed to Judge Merchan not to rule on his presidential immunity motion. They asserted that the judge "may not" proceed with Trump's September 18 sentencing while the removal case is ongoing.
The Manhattan district attorney's office addressed Trump's concerns about timing as the November election approaches. They attributed these concerns to Trump's "own strategic and dilatory litigation tactics."
Prosecutors pointed out that the former president's second removal effort came nearly ten months after he dropped his first unsuccessful attempt. Moreover, it was filed three months after his conviction in the case.
Despite their opposition to delaying the proceedings, the district attorney's office stated that they would defer to Judge Merchan regarding whether Trump's sentencing should proceed as scheduled.
Trump was convicted in May on 34 charges of falsifying business documents. These charges are connected to a hush money payment made by his former fixer, Michael Cohen, to a porn performer.
The payment was allegedly made to conceal an affair between the performer and Trump before the 2016 presidential election. Trump has consistently denied both the affair and any misconduct related to the payment.
The case has garnered significant attention due to its potential impact on Trump's political future and the broader implications for presidential accountability. As the legal battle continues, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for the American political landscape.
The Manhattan district attorney's office opposes Trump's bid to move his hush-money case to federal court. They argue that proceedings should continue despite this request. Trump's lawyers claim the state prosecution could harm his 2024 campaign. The case involves 34 charges of falsifying business documents related to a hush money payment. Trump denies all allegations of misconduct and the affair that prompted the payment.
