Trump‘s Plea for Postponement Rejected: Sentencing for Stormy Daniels Case to Proceed This Friday
The Honorable Juan M. Merchan, the presiding judge in the case against former President Donald Trump, has denied a request by Trump’s legal team to indefinitely postpone the sentencing hearing scheduled for this Friday. The hearing is related to Trump’s conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, stemming from a scheme to conceal payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump’s attorneys, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, had argued that sentencing should halt automatically due to the ongoing appeal process and that proceeding with sentencing at this time could interfere with Trump’s presidential duties. However, Judge Merchan stood firm, asserting that "the interests of justice would be better served by concluding this matter."
This decision means that Trump will face sentencing for his role in the scandal just days before he assumes office for his second term on January 20. While Trump’s legal team may still seek intervention from an appellate court to suspend the proceedings, they have not yet done so.
The case against Trump revolves around a plan to disguise a secret payment to Daniels as legal expenses, allegedly to suppress her claims of a affair with Trump while he was a presidential candidate. Trump has maintained his innocence and denies any wrongdoing.
The prosecution presented evidence that Trump’s company, The Trump Organization, recorded the reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen, his former attorney, as legal expenses on its financial statements. Prosecutors argued that these false entries violated the law, with potential penalties ranging from fines or probation to four years in prison.
In an earlier signal, Judge Merchan hinted that he would likely impose a "suspended sentence," closing the case without imprisoning, fining, or imposing probation on Trump.
Manhattan’s District Attorney’s Office has accused Trump’s defense of causing significant delays by seeking multiple postponements since the initial sentencing date was set last July. In documents filed Monday, prosecutors stated, "He shouldn’t be heard to complain now about prejudice caused by delays he himself orchestrated."
Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, characterized the prosecution as a "witch hunt" and maintained that the case should be dismissed on grounds of legal and constitutional precedents. Trump’s legal team has also contended that the conviction infringes upon presidential immunity principles established by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Michael Cohen, who served as a key witness and Trump’s former lawyer, commended Judge Merchan’s decision, describing it as "prudent and appropriate" given the circumstances.
If sentenced this Friday, Trump would become the first president to assume office while facing a criminal conviction, potentially complicating his administration as he simultaneously handles a pending appeal and potential new legal challenges depending on the appeal’s success.
Judge Merchan warned that if the sentencing does not occur before Trump’s inauguration, the case could potentially remain dormant until the end of his second term in 2029 due to the Justice Department’s policy regarding the immunity of sitting presidents.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for this Friday, with the possibility of his participation via video link due to logistical demands related to the presidential transition process.
