Breaking News: Donald Trump Slams New York Judge’s Timing in Hush Money Case
WASHINGTON D.C. – President-elect Donald Trump has strongly condemned a New York judge’s announcement that a verdict in the hush money case could be delivered just 10 days before his upcoming inauguration on January 20th.
In a scathing response via his Truth Social platform, Trump labeled the judge’s decision as "an unfair political attack" and a "staged production."
"Another Witch Hunt by a Radical Left New York Judge," Trump posted, as reported by AFP on Saturday, January 4, 2025.
Trump characterized Judge Juan Merchan as "a partisan radical" and argued that the timing of the sentence, coming just days before his inauguration, was a "conscious violation of the law, unconstitutional, and if allowed, would mark the end of the presidency as we know it."
Trump’s statement came after Judge Merchan disclosed that the verdict would be announced at a January 10th hearing, inviting Trump to attend in person or virtually.
In a 18-page ruling on Friday, Judge Merchan rejected various motions from Trump’s lawyers aiming to dismiss the case, thereby strengthening the jury’s guilty verdict.
Trump faces a maximum of four years in prison, although legal experts, even before his election victory last November, believed Judge Merchan was unlikely to send Trump to jail.
If convicted, Trump is expected to appeal, potentially further delaying any sentence.
