Trump Requests Delay in Hush-Money Case, Seeking Sentencing Post-Election

Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has submitted yet another request to delay his sentencing, marking the twelfth such request ahead of the scheduled date of September 18. This latest two-page motion seeks to postpone proceedings until after Election Day, citing various reasons for the delay.

This request follows a recent ruling from the presiding judge in the case, Justice Juan Merchan of the New York Supreme Court, who had previously rejected Trump’s defense team’s third plea for him to recuse himself from the proceedings. The judge criticized Trump for persistently pursuing legal strategies that had already failed in court.

The motion claims that the sentencing should be postponed because the judge is expected to make an important decision on September 16, regarding whether the case should be entirely dismissed based on Trump’s newly granted immunity pertaining to actions conducted in official capacity.

In addition to this argument, the motion reiterated the defense’s previous plea, which was dismissed just a day earlier by the judge. This plea was centered on the fact that the judge’s daughter has worked for Democratic candidates, including Vice President Kamala Harris. The defense team suggested that this relationship undermines the impartiality of the judge.

Specifically, the motion references Loren Merchan’s association with the Chicago-based political consultancy Authentic, where she worked on the Harris presidential campaign back in 2019. This firm was established by Democratic activist Mike Nellis, who recently organized a fundraising event dubbed “White Dudes for Harris.”

Trump’s lawyers argue that the judge is overlooking the implications of this connection between his daughter and Nellis, who is deeply involved in Democratic campaigns. The motion states, “Michael Nellis, a business partner of Your Honor’s daughter at Authentic Campaigns, posted on social media about, inter alia, making maximum donations to the Harris campaign and using his clout with that campaign to get Walz to ‘talk on our White Dudes for Harris call last week,'” referring to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is also Harris’ running mate.

Nellis declined to provide comments regarding the situation and stated that a letter he submitted to the House Judiciary Committee earlier this month speaks on the matter. This letter, which Nellis tweeted, clarifies the limited nature of Loren Merchan’s involvement with Harris’s campaign, responding to inquiries for internal documents about alleged politicized prosecutions.

Interestingly, the delay request also points out that the sentencing date now falls “after the commencement of early voting in the Presidential election,” further emphasizing the importance of pushing the date back.

The motion underlines that delaying the sentencing until after the election is crucial not only for Trump but also for the millions of voters who hold views deviating from those of Authentic and its associates. It declares, “There is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar.”

Trump’s attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, stressed their position by stating, “There is no basis for continuing to rush. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election.”

Out of Trump’s earlier attempts to delay the sentencing, only two were granted by Judge Merchan. The first was a three-week delay of the original trial start date, which was initially set for March 25, due to the delayed delivery of 80,000 pages of evidence. The second delay was more than two months, rescheduling the sentencing from July 11 after receiving an opinion on immunity from the U.S. Supreme Court.

This ongoing legal saga continues as Trump seeks various avenues to postpone the proceedings, while the court maintains its schedule and oversight. With the election season approaching, the stakes remain high for Trump and his legal team as they navigate these complicated legal battles.

Source: Business Insider