Former President Donald Trump asked Wednesday to delay his sentencing in New York until after the election in November.
Trump’s attorneys wrote in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan that there is “no basis for continuing to rush” the case, noting the current Sept. 18 sentencing date is set to occur after early voting begins. Delaying the date would “reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings,” Trump’s attorneys argued.
“Setting aside naked election-interference objectives, 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 wrote. (RELATED: Judge Again Declines To Recuse From Trump’s Case, Denies Daughter’s Alleged Kamala Harris Ties Create Conflict)
His attorneys argued postponing the date is “necessary to allow President Trump adequate time to assess and pursue state and federal appellate options” if Merchan rejects Trump’s motion to toss the jury’s verdict based on the Supreme Court’s July ruling on presidential immunity. Merchan said he would rule on the motion on Sept. 16.
Merchan declined on Tuesday Trump’s third bid to have him recuse from the case based on his daughter’s work at the political consulting firm Authentic Campaigns, which provides services to Democratic clients.
“Notwithstanding the Court’s ruling on the disputed recusal issue, the requested adjournment would prospectively mitigate the asserted conflicts and appearances of impropriety, which are also the subject of an ongoing congressional inquiry,” Trump’s attorneys noted in the letter.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 30: Former U.S. President Donald Trump sits at the defendant’s table inside the courthouse as the jury is scheduled to continue deliberations for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Justin Lane – Pool/Getty Images)
Trump’s sentencing was initially scheduled for July 11. The judge agreed to postpone the date after the Supreme Court released its decision finding presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts taken in office.
In Washington, D.C., District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to delay proceedings in his federal election interference case until September to allow the government more time to assess the impact of the ruling.
A Manhattan jury convicted Trump in May on 34 counts for falsifying business records related to reimbursing his former attorney Michael Cohen for a nondisclosure agreement with porn star Stormy Daniels.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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