The numerous lawsuits against Donald Trump have so far had little effect on the Republican’s popularity. But now Trump’s lawyer is worried about the election result.
US presidential candidate Donald Trump has requested that the date for the possible announcement of his sentence in the New York hush money trial be postponed until after the election in November. There is “no basis for continued rushing” in the proceedings, argued Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche in a letter to Judge Juan Merchan on Wednesday. The date for the sentencing has so far been set for September 18.
Blance added in his letter that the only reason for the haste could be “obvious aims of electoral interference.” Blanche did not elaborate on what he meant by this, but the wording implies the accusation that a sentence imposed less than two months before the election would constitute an attempt to influence the outcome of the vote.
Trump’s lawyers had tried several times in vain to have Judge Merchan removed from the proceedings on the grounds of bias. They justified this by citing Merchan’s daughter’s work for an organization with ties to the Democratic Party of President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Lawyers try everything to prevent verdict
In the trial on May 30, the jury found Trump guilty on all 34 counts of having covered up a hush money payment made to former porn actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election by falsifying business documents. The 78-year-old is thus the first former US president in history to be convicted of a criminal offense.
The determination of the sentence is now in the hands of Judge Merchan. However, the Republican presidential candidate’s lawyers filed a motion in July to annul the guilty verdict and the entire trial. They referred to a decision by the US Supreme Court in early July, which had granted Trump partial immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.
Suspended sentence or fine likely
Merchan had originally scheduled the sentencing for July 11, but postponed the date to September 18 after the Supreme Court’s immunity decision. A hearing on Trump’s lawyers’ motion to annul the proceedings is scheduled for September 16. Merchan had set the date for the sentencing at the time subject to the decision on this motion – the hearing would take place “if it is still necessary,” he explained.
If the conviction stands, it is unlikely that Trump would be sentenced to prison. Since this is not a violent crime and it is Trump’s first criminal conviction, experts expect a suspended sentence or a fine.
Trump would also appeal, as he had already announced immediately after the guilty verdict – which would further drag out the proceedings.
Hush money affair not the only trial against Donald Trump
In his various legal disputes, Trump always relies on a delaying tactic that has so far been largely successful.
In addition to the hush money case, the former president is currently facing two other criminal charges. They relate to his massive attempts to retroactively overturn his 2020 election defeat against Biden. It is completely unclear when trials in these cases could begin.
Another criminal case involving Trump’s taking of secret government documents to his private estate in Florida was dismissed by a federal judge in July.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
