Trump’s request follows his victory in the November 5 presidential election, in which he has secured another term starting from January 20.
US President-elect Donald Trump has called on a New York state judge to dismiss the criminal case against him. He was convicted in May on 38 felony counts related to hush money payments that were made by him to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump’s request follows his victory in the November 5 presidential election, in which he has secured another term starting from January 20. As per a Reuters report, Justice Juan Merchan has earlier postponed Trump’s sentencing which was slated to take place on November 26, and allowed him to argue for the case’s dismissal.
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Trump’s legal team also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges. “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote.
Former US President’s legal team claimed that the case’s continuation during his presidency would create ‘’unconstitutional impediments’’ to his ability to govern successfully. The delay of the sentencing has been accepted by the prosecutors from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office but they have opposed the motion for dismissal. A response from the prosecution is expected by December 9, though a decision on a timeline or a new sentencing date has not been declared yet.
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The case deals with a $130,000 payment made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen to Daniels in 2016 for keeping her silent about an alleged decade-old sexual encounter with Trump, which he denies. Prosecutors argued that Trump has used fabricated business records to hide his reimbursement of Cohen, a charge that will lead to a maximum of four years in prison. Trump has stated that the prosecution is a politically motivated effort by District Attorney Bragg, who is a Democrat and wants to hamper his presidential campaign.
The political implications of sentencing a sitting president have further complicated the case. Prison time was unlikely to take place before the election, as fines or probation seemed to be more feasible. Trump’s re-election victory intensified the debate, as a verdict could hinder his capacity to conduct his presidential duties.
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Trump has been charged legally for just the hush money case, he has also been involved in three additional state and federal cases. One of its cases includes classified documents and two are based on his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The US president-elect has pleaded not guilty in all cases. Some of the cases have also been dismissed because of the Justice Department’s policy against charging sitting presidents. However, ongoing state cases in Georgia and New York continue to be unresolved, as presidential authority does not cover state prosecutions. Despite all these legal cases against him, Trump continues to present himself as a victim of political persecution. He is also successfully managing to rally his supporters for his upcoming tenure.
(With inputs from Reuters)
