Judge Suspends Trump Hush Money Sentencing

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NOV 22 2024

Above: US Pres.-elect Donald Trump attends a viewing of the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on Nov. 19, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. Image copyright: Brandon Bell/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Imagesstory last updated NOV 23 2024

The Facts

Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan has agreed to postpone US pres.-elect Donald Trump's Nov. 26 sentencing for his hush money case until after he's expected to leave office.
Trump was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130K payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
This follows Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's decision to do the same, agreeing earlier this week to postpone the sentencing until Trump left office.

The Spin

Republican narrative

Despite their best efforts, the corrupt prosecutors and judges of New York have been forced to drop their witch hunt cases. While it shouldn't have taken a Republican landslide to reach this conclusion, the American people can rest assured that the man they voted for will be free to govern the country without worrying about left-leaning lawfare.

Townhall

Democratic narrative

Despite Trump's criminal history, Democrats should consider ending all of his cases for the sake of democracy's stability. The election's outcome — where voters chose him despite high-profile charges — renders a verdict on their legitimacy. While these were legitimate convictions, the Constitution encourages American leadership not to set dangerous, politically driven precedents after an election.

New York Times