Trump's Hush Money Sentencing Delayed Until After Election

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Facts

  • New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan on Friday postponed former US Pres. Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money case until Nov. 26.[1]
  • In his order, Merchan acknowledged that the case stands 'in a unique place in this Nation's history' and that the decision to delay Trump's sentencing 'best advances the interests of justice.'[2][3]
  • Additionally, Merchan said that Trump had asked for sentencing to be delayed 'to avoid the potential 'politically prejudicial' impact that a public sentencing could have on him and his prospects in the upcoming election.'[4]
  • The Republican presidential nominee had been scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18. However, his lawyers sought to delay his sentencing until after the Nov. 5 vote, citing 'naked election-interference objectives.'[5]
  • In May, Trump was convicted of 34 counts of felony falsifying business records to conceal a $130K hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election.[6][7]
  • The sentencing was originally scheduled for July 10. However, Merchan delayed it by two months after Trump's lawyers asked him to toss the guilty verdict in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling expanding presidential immunity.[8]

Sources: [1]Washington Post, [2]NBC, [3]Nycourts, [4]Breitbart, [5]Reuters, [6]Verity, [7]Al Jazeera and [8]New York Post.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by CNN and Raw Story. Merchan's decision to delay Trump's sentencing — apparently to avoid the unwarranted claims of a political motive — may or may not affect the outcome of the presidential race, but it means the election will be decided without voters knowing if the Republican nominee will face jail time. Trump should have been sentenced on Sept. 18; this delay only boosts his chances and fuels the false narrative that there was no case and he did nothing wrong.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by Breitbart and FOX News. Seeking to sentence Trump in the thick of his presidential campaign is nothing other than election interference — a politically motivated witch hunt rigged by the left. Prosecutors can neither show that Trump made the false business records with intent to commit fraud nor prove that Trump falsified the entries to commit or cover up a separate crime. This case should be terminated as the allegations were false, and the shreds of evidence were fabricated.

Predictions