Donald Trump has been dealing with many legal challenges. They’re not all going away.
And now a Supreme Court Justice has handed down a massive Trump felony decision.
Judge Delays Decision on Trump’s Conviction Appeal, Citing Upcoming Inauguration
Acting New York Supreme Court Justice, Juan Merchan, has delayed his ruling on whether to overturn President-elect Donald Trump’s conviction for falsifying business records, as his legal team argues that his recent election win necessitates the dismissal of the case entirely so that he can focus on his upcoming duties as president. The ruling, originally set for Tuesday, will now be postponed until November 19, giving prosecutors time to weigh in on how the case should proceed in light of Trump’s impending return to the White House.
The case centers on a conviction Trump received in May when a Manhattan jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records in order to cover up a potential s*x scandal ahead of his 2016 presidential campaign. The charges stemmed from a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump in 2006 — an allegation he has denied. Trump, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, has vowed to appeal the verdict after sentencing.
Judge Juan Merchan had previously been expected to rule on a request from Trump’s legal team to throw out the conviction based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer regarding presidential immunity. However, on Tuesday, Merchan decided to delay the decision, citing the unique circumstances surrounding Trump’s election as president again.
The delay gives Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office time to consider how to approach the case now that Trump has won the November 5 election and is scheduled to be inaugurated in January 2025.
JUST IN: Judge Juan Merchan delays ruling on whether or not to dismiss Donald Trump’s guilty verdict in the hush money case.
The decision was supposed to be made today however it will be delayed until November 19.
The freeze will allow prosecutors to respond to Trump’s demand… pic.twitter.com/N3p2anxF4P
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 12, 2024
In a statement, Bragg’s office indicated it agreed with Trump’s defense team that the case should be paused while the implications of Trump’s election victory are considered. Prosecutors acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the situation, noting that Trump’s return to the White House raises new questions about how the legal proceedings should unfold.
Trump’s conviction was historic, as he became the first former or sitting U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. The charges stemmed from the alleged cover-up of the affair with Daniels, which prosecutors said was orchestrated to prevent damaging publicity during the 2016 election.
However, Trump’s defense has argued that the case must be dismissed entirely in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling in July, which affirmed a degree of presidential immunity from prosecution. The decision also clarified that juries cannot be presented with evidence of presidential acts when the case involves personal conduct. Trump’s attorneys have contended that continuing the case against him could interfere with his ability to perform his duties as president.
Trump’s lead defense attorney, Emil Bove, wrote in a filing that the case should be dismissed to avoid creating constitutional barriers to Trump’s ability to govern effectively. “The stay, and dismissal, are necessary to avoid unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern,” Bove wrote.
While sentencing in the case is still scheduled for November 26, legal experts widely expect it to be delayed, given the unusual circumstances surrounding Trump’s presidential election victory. With the ruling on his conviction now postponed until mid-November, it remains to be seen how the court and prosecutors will navigate these complex legal issues as Trump prepares to return to the White House.
Most legal experts agree that the prosecutors in the Trump legal cases, like in New York, have no real recourse to do much of anything in the way of sentencing against Donald Trump. He will be President in January and there’s nothing they can do to stop that. Any sentencing would be superficial and would likely cause civil unrest that Americans don’t need or want right now.
The Conservative Column will be keeping our readers updated on all the major Trump legal cases over the next several weeks.
