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New York Judge Juan Merchan shocked many on Friday by announcing that President-elect Donald Trump would be sentenced in his Manhattan business records fraud case less than two weeks before his inauguration on January 20.
Sharing the news, journalist Susie Moore detailed the background of the case:
“In early May, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records. Since then, there has been significant legal maneuvering, with multiple post-trial motions aimed at overturning the verdict and/or delaying the sentencing, if not outright dismissing the case on grounds of presidential immunity and/or in light of Trump’s reelection. Merchan’s rulings on the post-trial matters, like many of them ahead of and during the trial, have largely not favored Trump.”
Judge Merchan set January 10 as the date for the sentencing—a mere ten days before the inauguration, marking an unprecedented moment in U.S. history.
Trump’s legal challenges have not gone unnoticed. After his election victory on November 5, his attorneys and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office engaged in intense legal disputes over potential outcomes. Friday’s ruling seemingly concluded those debates.
The former president previously faced penalties in the case, including a $9,000 fine for violating a gag order after making comments on social media about court-related figures. However, the court permitted him to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation.
In response to Merchan’s latest decision, Trump’s Transition Team, led by Communications Director Steven Cheung, released the following statement:
“Today’s order by the deeply conflicted, Acting Justice Merchan in the Manhattan DA Witch Hunt is a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s Immunity decision and other longstanding jurisprudence. This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed. President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts. There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”
This is a developing story. Updates will follow as additional responses from the president-elect’s team emerge.
