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In a landmark decision, President-elect Donald Trump was handed an unconditional discharge for his hush money conviction on Friday, avoiding any form of punishment.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Juan Merchan in New York, solidifies Trump’s position as the first individual convicted of a felony to assume the presidency, with just under two weeks before his return to the White House.
Trump had faced 34 felony counts linked to an alleged scheme to influence the 2016 presidential election by concealing a payment to a porn actor who claimed to have had an affair with him, an accusation Trump denies. After a Manhattan jury found him guilty in May, many anticipated a harsher sentence.
However, Judge Merchan stated, “After careful analysis and obedience to government mandates, pursuant to law, the court feels the only sentence is an unconditional discharge, which is a lawful and permissible sentence for falsifying business records.”
Merchan’s ruling applies to all 34 counts. In a notable closing statement, he told Trump, “I impose that sentence for all 34 counts, and sir, I wish you godspeed as you pursue your second term in office.”
The president-elect attended the 40-minute sentencing hearing virtually, during which he reiterated his innocence, describing the trial as a “very terrible experience” and declaring the proceedings an “injustice of justice.”
The journey to this ruling was anything but straightforward. Trump had consistently sought to delay his sentencing until after the election, a tactic that began when he convinced Judge Merchan to postpone the original July sentencing.
Trump argued that his conviction conflicted with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of criminal immunity for former presidents. After his election victory, Trump intensified his efforts, contending that his status as president-elect should afford him immediate protections. Despite these arguments, the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Merchan emphasized that presidential immunity did not influence his decision. “Despite the extraordinary breadth of those protections, they do not provide the power to erase a verdict,” Merchan explained. “Donald Trump, the ordinary citizen, the criminal defendant, will not be offered such protections.”
Throughout the trial, Trump’s legal strategy centered on delays, a pattern consistent across all four of his criminal prosecutions.
While he managed to defer trials in three other cases, the hush money case proceeded, becoming the first criminal trial faced by a former president.
Over seven weeks, witnesses from Trump’s business and political circles testified, some reluctantly, leading to a unanimous guilty verdict on all counts.
With sentencing now concluded, Trump can pursue his long-promised appeal. He has challenged District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s theory of the case and cited arguments surrounding presidential immunity.
However, legal experts agree that even if Trump’s appeal is successful, it would take months or years to progress through the courts, and no further criminal prosecutions can advance once he assumes the presidency.
Trump’s legal team has begun transitioning into key roles within his administration. Attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial, have been nominated for high-ranking positions within the Justice Department.
Another key lawyer, D. John Sauer, who has handled several of Trump’s appeals, is set to take on the role of solicitor general.
As Trump prepares to take office, his conviction raises unprecedented legal and political questions.
The president-elect remains steadfast in his assertions of innocence, vowing to challenge the verdict while navigating the complexities of assuming the presidency with a felony conviction.
