Judge rejects Trump request to delay hush money sentencing

On Monday, a New York judge denied President-elect Donald Trump’s request to delay his sentencing in the hush money case, which is scheduled for this Friday.

Judge Juan Merchan had already ruled last week that Trump’s sentencing would proceed despite his upcoming inauguration, dismissing his legal team’s argument that his election victory should end the case.

In a two-page ruling, Merchan stated that Trump’s arguments were largely repetitive of those previously raised and noted that prosecutors opposed any delay. The judge made it clear that the sentencing would move forward unless Trump succeeded in appealing to a higher court.

“The Defendant’s motion for a stay of proceedings, including the sentencing hearing scheduled for January 10, 2025, is hereby DENIED,” Merchan wrote.

As the first former president ever convicted of a crime, Trump will have the option to attend his sentencing either in person or virtually, with Merchan indicating he was unlikely to impose jail time on Trump.

Trump’s legal team had requested a delay in the sentencing while they appeal the conviction, which stemmed from 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Despite winning the 2024 election on Monday, Trump remains convicted, having been found guilty in May of crimes related to the payment aimed at preventing Daniels from revealing an alleged sexual encounter in 2006.

Trump’s attorneys had pushed to have the case dismissed, citing a Supreme Court decision from the previous year granting former presidents immunity for certain actions taken while in office. However, Merchan rejected these motions last week, stating that Trump would be immune from prosecution only after being sworn in as president.

While the sentence carries a potential of up to four years in prison, legal experts had already speculated that Merchan would likely avoid jail time for the 78-year-old Trump. The judge has suggested a possible unconditional discharge, meaning Trump could enter the White House as a convicted felon but without any conditions of his sentence.

This article was reported by journalist Jimmy.