NY DA Considers Delaying Trump Hush-Money Case Until After Presidency.
New York prosecutors have informed the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s hush money case that they will oppose any efforts to dismiss the charges due to his reelection but are open to postponing proceedings while he serves as president.
This willingness to delay was expressed in a letter from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as Justice Juan Merchan considers the next steps for the case. While Bragg's letter suggests a readiness to accommodate a delay, it also indicates a commitment to keep the case active. The prosecutors emphasized their respect for the presidency and acknowledged the unique legal challenges that Trump's inauguration may present, but they also highlighted the importance of the jury's role in the process.
Explainer: What’s Next in Trump’s Hush Money Criminal Case?
DA Alvin Bragg stated that his office would resist any efforts by Trump to overturn his conviction based on claims of presidential immunity or the argument that he was on the verge of becoming president once more.
manhattanda Instagram - District Attorney Alvin Bragg
Trump could face up to four years in prison after being found guilty in May on 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records for payments made to an adult film star prior to the 2016 election. His legal team is working to have this case, along with three other federal and state criminal matters, dismissed before he takes office in January. In a recent letter to the judge, Trump’s attorney argued that there are compelling reasons for dismissal, referencing the US Supreme Court's ruling in July regarding presidential immunity in criminal cases. Trump has consistently claimed his innocence.
His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated that the president-elect intends to seek a dismissal of the case “once and for all.” “This is a clear and decisive victory for President Trump and the American people who elected him,” Cheung remarked in a statement. “The Manhattan DA has acknowledged that this Witch Hunt cannot proceed.” Meanwhile, the US Justice Department is expected to drop two of his federal cases, and another state case in Georgia remains on hold as an appellate court reviews whether the district attorney should be disqualified due to her connections with another prosecutor.
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The Manhattan case stands out as the only one that has proceeded to trial and resulted in a conviction. Unlike in federal cases, Trump cannot grant himself a pardon in the state hush-money matter. In his letter, Bragg expressed his expectation that the judge will permit Trump to submit a formal motion to dismiss, with prosecutors given the opportunity to respond by December 9. Bragg pointed out that Trump’s claim of being immune from prosecution as president-elect does not affect the state’s case, especially after a Manhattan jury found him guilty unanimously.
Bragg’s team stated, “There is no existing law that indicates a president’s temporary immunity from prosecution necessitates the dismissal of a criminal case that began when the defendant was not immune and is based on conduct for which the defendant also lacks immunity.”
