Trump Lawyers are Throwing it Against the Wall and See What Sticks
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President-elect Trump arrives at his Mar-A-Lago club on Dec. 31, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty Images
The New York judge overseeing President-elect Trump's hush money case upheld the historic criminal conviction and scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, court documents show.
The big picture: That's just 10 days before Inauguration Day, though Judge Juan Merchan indicated in his written decision that Trump won't face jail time.
- Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts for falsifying company records, making him the first convicted felon to be elected president.
Zoom in: Prosecutors had asked Merchan to place the case on indefinite hold, but the judge said sentencing is "the most viable solution to ensure finality" and to allow Trump to pursue an appeal.
- However, Merchan wrote he's not inclined to impose jail time — even though the conviction would allow it — because prosecutors "concede they no longer view [it] as a practicable recommendation" given Trump's reelection.
Zoom out: Merchan also said that the Supreme Court's ruling that presidents have immunity from prosecution for "officials acts" doesn't apply to the president-elect.
- "Accordingly, a President-elect is not permitted to avail himself of the protections afforded to the individual occupying that Office," Merchan wrote.
Trump's lawyers claim juror misconduct in latest bid to toss hush money verdict
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President-elect Trump at Trump's Mar-a-Lago on Dec. 16 in Palm Beach, Florida. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
President-elect Trump's lawyers claim they have evidence of misconduct by a juror in his New York hush money trial that should lead to the first ever felony conviction of a former U.S. president being tossed out.
The big picture: It's Trump's latest bid to overturn the conviction and was made public after the judge who oversaw the trial rejected his request to toss out the guilty verdict based on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity ruling.
Judge rejects Trump's request to overturn hush money conviction
President-elect Trump walks to speak to the media after being found guilty following his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30. Photo: Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images
The New York judge overseeing President-elect Trump's hush money trial rejected his request to toss his guilty verdict due to the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity.
Why it matters: While Trump's federal cases have crumbled after his election win, New York prosecutors have refused to bow after securing a historic conviction.
"President-elect immunity does not exist:" Prosecutors on Trump hush money case
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Trump appears in court for his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30 in New York City. Photo: Steven Hirsch-Pool/Getty Images
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued in a court filing made public Tuesday that President-elect Trump's hush money conviction should not be tossed out because of his White House win.
Why it matters: As Trump's federal cases crumble as a result of his election victory, New York officials are standing by their historic prosecution.
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