Trump Asks Judge To Delay Sentencing

Former President Donald Trump has requested a postponement of his sentencing date in the hush money case, arguing that the current schedule is both inappropriate and potentially politically motivated. According to a court filing made public on Thursday, Trump’s legal team contends that delaying the sentencing until after the upcoming presidential election is crucial to address concerns about fairness and to avoid the appearance of election interference.

Trump’s attorneys have raised significant concerns regarding Judge Juan Merchan’s impartiality. They argue that a potential conflict of interest exists due to Judge Merchan’s daughter, Loren Merchan, working at a Democratic marketing firm, Authentic Campaigns. This firm has reportedly been involved with some of Trump’s prominent political opponents, including Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden, and Representative Adam Schiff. The defense contends that the close timing of Judge Merchan’s ruling on presidential immunity—expected on September 16—followed by the sentencing on September 18, exacerbates their concerns.

The legal team points out that the current sentencing date coincides with the early voting period for the presidential election, which could be seen as an attempt to influence the election. They argue that there is no valid reason to maintain this schedule and suggest that pushing the sentencing date past the election would help mitigate potential conflicts of interest and perceptions of impropriety.

This request comes shortly after Judge Merchan denied a motion for his recusal from the case, despite the ongoing congressional scrutiny of his daughter’s firm and the conflict of interest claims. The firm’s founder, Mike Nellis, has publicly addressed these concerns, stating that the funds received from Democratic clients are primarily used to cover the firm’s operational costs and that there has been no recent work for high-profile Democrats since early 2023.

Trump’s attorneys also argue that a delay in sentencing would allow for a fair appeal process if the judge denies their request to dismiss the charges based on presidential immunity. They emphasize that the Supreme Court has acknowledged the unique public scrutiny that accompanies criminal proceedings against a sitting president, suggesting that the District Attorney’s Office should not be permitted to file a public sentencing proposal that could be prejudicial to Trump.

In May, a jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a payment made to Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election. Each count could result in up to four years in prison, though sentencing guidelines suggest a lesser sentence. Trump’s legal team maintains that the proceedings are deeply intertwined with political motives, and a sentencing delay would better serve justice and public perception.