Trump Asks Judge to Delay Sentencing Until After Presidential Election

Former President Donald Trump, now running as a Republican candidate, has asked the judge in his New York hush money case to postpone his sentencing until after the November presidential election. Trump’s legal team sent a letter on Thursday, arguing that sentencing him on September 18—just weeks before the election—could affect the election.

Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, also said that a delay would give Trump time to review his options after a key decision by Judge Juan M. Merchan, who is expected to rule on September 16 whether to dismiss the case. This decision is tied to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

“There’s no need to rush this process,” the lawyers wrote. Their request came after the judge denied their earlier motion to have him removed from the case. The lawyers claim that the judge may have a conflict of interest because his daughter works as a political consultant for Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running against Trump.

By delaying the sentencing until after the election, Trump’s lawyers argue, the court would help ease concerns about the fairness of the process. They also noted that some states will begin early voting just before or after Trump’s scheduled sentencing date.

Judge Merchan has said he can remain impartial but has not yet decided on Trump’s request for a delay. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which brought the case against Trump, did not comment.

Trump Found Guilty of Falsifying Business Records

In May, Trump was convicted of falsifying business records to cover up a 2016 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Prosecutors said this payment was part of Trump’s effort to prevent bad stories from coming out during his first presidential campaign.

Trump insists that the allegations are false, saying the records were correctly kept. He claims the case is politically motivated to harm his current presidential run. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, led the case.

Trump’s defense argues that the payments were legal expenses and were properly documented. Falsifying business records can lead to up to four years in prison, though other penalties could include probation, fines, or a conditional discharge, which means Trump would have to avoid more legal trouble.

Trump, the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, plans to appeal, but he cannot do so until after sentencing.

Judge Merchan had previously set September 18 as the date for sentencing or other legal actions. Trump’s lawyers argued that it wouldn’t be fair to have sentencing just two days after the judge rules on the immunity issue. They said they would need time to decide on possible appeals if the judge doesn’t dismiss the case.

The Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity limits the prosecution of former presidents for their official actions. Trump’s lawyers believe this ruling means some evidence presented to the jury, such as testimony from former White House staff about the Daniels payment, shouldn’t have been allowed.

Trump’s request for a delay is now in the judge’s hands, as both his legal case and presidential campaign continue to unfold.