Judge delays Trump hush money trial sentencing until after November election

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A judge has agreed to postpone the sentencing of former President Donald Trump in his New York hush money trial case until after the presidential election in November.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan agreed to the defense’s request to delay the sentencing on Friday and stated stating it would be pushed off until Nov. 26, instead of the previously set date of Sept. 16.

Trump was convicted in the case in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to pay off adult film access actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had an affair with him.

Justice Merchan wrote in a four-page decision that he wants to avoid appearing like the court is trying to impact the election and wrote quote “The Court is a fair, impartial, and apolitical institution.”

The judge is also weighing a defense’s request to overturn the verdict on immunity grounds in light of the Supreme Court’s decision on presidential immunity earlier this year.

Trump could face a sentence up to of up to four years in prison.

The former president reacted to the decision Friday on Truth Social:

If Trump wins in November, he cannot pardon himself in the hush money case because the charges were brought at the state level.

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