On Friday, the New York state judge who handled Donald Trump’s hush-money lawsuit handed down the president-elect’s “unconditional release.” This means that although he is currently a convicted felon under New York state law, he will not face any further punishment.
“This is a very bad experience,” Trump said, speaking remotely from his Florida home when he was allowed to address the justices.
“It was done to defame me and make me lose the election,” he said. “I am completely innocent. I did nothing wrong,” he insisted.
The ruling was handed down just 10 days before Trump was sworn in as the 47th president.
“Never before has a more unique and remarkable set of circumstances been presented to this court,” Judge Juan Melchan said before handing down the sentence. “This is a truly unusual case.”
Mr. Trump’s lawyers had repeatedly called for a halt to the proceedings, which Mr. Marchand had scheduled last week. Their appeals over the past week to Merchan, two state appellate courts and even the country’s highest court have failed. Trump’s last hope, the U.S. Supreme Court, declined to block the lawsuit in a 5-4 decision late Thursday.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said in court that Trump had been convicted of 34 felonies, each punishable by one to four years in prison, but that the judge considered the unique circumstances of the case. It recommended that he be sentenced to “unconditional release.”
“We must respect the office of the president and be mindful of the fact that this defendant will be inaugurated as president in 10 days,” Steinglass said, adding that Trump is “above the law” through his lawsuit. He also said that he had acted as if that were the case. This includes frequent verbal attacks on judges, prosecutors, and even their families.
“This defendant has caused lasting damage to the public’s perception of the criminal justice system.”
Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, countered that it was the Manhattan District Attorney’s office that overreached in the case. He said Steinglass’ position is premised on “the suit being legally sound and the accusations brought by the people consistent with New York state law.” Again, we strongly disagree with that. ”
“This is undoubtedly a case brought by a district attorney who promised to pursue this if he was elected President Trump, and he had to follow through on that promise,” Blanche said.
“It’s a very sad day. It’s a sad day for President Trump and his family and friends, but it’s also a sad day for this country in my attorney’s opinion,” Branch said, adding that Trump plans to file a full appeal after the incident. added. There is a sentence saying.
Follow us to watch live coverage
The ruling marks a landmark in Trump’s history as he becomes only the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms. He is the only president to be sentenced on criminal charges.
Speaking to the media from his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday after the Supreme Court’s decision, President Trump hinted at the possibility of further appeals, including an attempt to appeal the decision itself.
“So tomorrow we’ll do a little something. They can have some fun with their political opponents,” he said.
Marchan said last week that in his decision to proceed with sentencing, he would likely grant Trump an unconditional dismissal.
But he also criticized President Trump for both the conduct that led to his conviction in May and his actions during and after the trial.
In ruling last week against President Trump’s argument that the charges were not serious and should be dismissed, Marchand wrote, “The 12-member jury unanimously found that the defendants falsified business records for the purpose of fraud. The leader of the free world was found guilty of 34 counts, including intent to defraud. It was a planned and continuous deception. The perpetrators of this crime. ”
“Given the positions that the defendants once held and seek to re-assume, setting aside this sentence on the basis that the charges were not serious enough would have disproportionate consequences and undermine public confidence in the rule of law. “This will cause untold damage to the country,” he wrote. .
He also tasked President Trump with attacking the justice system.
“Defendant’s contempt for the third branch of government, whether state or federal, New York or elsewhere, is a matter of public record. In fact, defendant’s disrespect for judges is a matter of public record.” Marchand has gone to great lengths to spread the word on social media and other forums about the lack of “juries, grand juries, and the entire judicial system,” Marchand wrote, noting that Trump has been granted a partial gag order in the case. He said he found himself repeatedly held in contempt for violating the law. Commandment. ”
Trump continues to call the order “illegal” and “unconstitutional,” even though “this order has been challenged and upheld at least eight times by the First Department of Appeals and the New York Court of Appeals.” He pointed out that
“Indeed, as Defendants are sure to know, the same order was left in place by the United States Supreme Court on December 9, 2024. continues to undermine its legitimacy,” Marchand wrote.
He said a prison sentence “is warranted by conviction,” but given President Trump’s impending swearing-in, even prosecutors “no longer view the alternative as a viable recommendation.” He also said that there is.
Blanche suggested this week during an appeals court hearing seeking a stay on the ruling that he was skeptical about giving Trump an unconditional dismissal despite what Marchand wrote in his order.
“I don’t see how you can put any weight on that,” Blanche said.
“While we believe that the sanctity of a jury’s verdict is paramount and must be upheld as part of the rule of law, we are also mindful of the presidential system,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters Thursday. I respect it,” he said. ”
Trump’s conviction stemmed from charges that he falsified business records related to hush money that former lawyer Michael Cohen gave to porn star Stormy Daniels in the final stages of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Daniels testified in 2006 that she had sexual contact with Trump, which Trump denies.
The case was one of four criminal cases facing President Trump in early 2024, and the only one to go to trial.
A state lawsuit accusing Trump of interfering in Georgia’s 2020 election was filed last month after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis challenged an appeals court order that removed him and his office from the case. Due to this, it has been temporarily suspended.
The Justice Department has dropped two federal lawsuits brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith after Trump’s election victory, citing the Justice Department’s opinion that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted.
