Trump judge still awaiting Manhattan DA’s sentencing recommendation
The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, clarified on Tuesday that a Bloomberg report claiming that former President Donald Trump’s sentencing for 34 criminal charges had been “adjourned” was incorrect. The report was based on an automated schedule alert sent out by the court, which was in turn based off a court email from last week stating that all future dates had been stayed.
Despite the confusion caused by the automated alert, Bragg is still scheduled to file a recommendation to Judge Juan Merchan on how to proceed with Trump’s sentencing. Merchan has the authority to either delay the sentencing until after Trump leaves the White House, dismiss the conviction outright, or grant a sentence of unconditional discharge, which would leave the conviction intact but spare Trump from prison time, fines, or probation.
Trump was convicted in May by a Manhattan jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records, related to payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, which could have resulted in a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison. However, the timeline for court proceedings was thrown into uncertainty due to the presidential race and Trump’s subsequent victory.
Merchan had previously granted a request from prosecutors to stay all deadlines associated with the case, including a planned sentencing date of Nov. 26, following Trump’s election victory. Both the prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys supported the stay, as they sought to evaluate the impact of Trump’s election as president on the case.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in July, granting presidents presumptive immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office, further complicated the path forward in the New York case. While a president is entitled to immunity for actions taken within the scope of their constitutional powers, it remains unclear if the same level of protection applies to state convictions.
Bragg’s office has maintained that the case against Trump focuses solely on his personal behavior, not his actions as president. Trump has consistently denounced the case as a politically motivated “witch hunt,” a sentiment he has used to discredit his critics and opponents.
Despite Trump’s convictions, he has numerous avenues to appeal the case or have the charges dismissed before the sentencing hearing, making it unlikely that he will face any prison time. The situation remains fluid, but Bragg’s confirmation that the sentencing has not been adjourned provides clarity in the ongoing legal saga.
