President-elect Donald Trump's attempt to delay his hush money case sentencing met another roadblock this week. A New York appeals court, led by Judge Ellen Gesmer rejected Trump's request on Tuesday, leaving his sentencing as initially scheduled for Friday, January 10th. The defense argued before the Appellate Division that the president-elect enjoys immunity from criminal proceedings, a claim that the court was not swayed by. Despite repeated attempts to postpone the sentencing, which spans back to its original date set in July of last year, Trump's legal team has not seemed to find a successful legal foothold.
During the emergency hearing, Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, posited that as president-elect, Trump is covered by presidential immunity, a concept that Judge Gesmer questioned. Blanche admitted, "There has never been a case like this before, so no," acknowledging the unprecedented nature of their argument when asked about the support for such a notion, according to ABC News.
Steven Wu, arguing for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, dismissed the immunity claim as "so baseless" and emphasized public interest in the timely finalization of the case. The prosecution highlighted that the delays to date had been at the request of Trump's legal defense. NBC New York noted that Judge Juan M. Merchan, who presided over the original trial, also denied Trump’s request to dismiss the case on the grounds of presidential immunity last week.
The complexity of the case stems from Trump's conviction last May on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records, associated with a purported hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump, less than two weeks from his inauguration, could be the first president to take office convicted of crimes. Merchan signaled his intent for an unconditional discharge – eschewing jail time, fines, or probation, despite the potential for a harsher punishment ranging up to four years in prison. This solution was proposed as a way to manage the transition of power without dismissing the jury's findings, as reported by NBC New York.
