New York judge postpones Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ ruling

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Donald Trump’s “hush money” lawsuit has been put on hold while a Manhattan judge considers the “unprecedented circumstances” of the US presidential election, pending sentencing scheduled for later this month.

Judge Juan Melchán was scheduled to decide Tuesday whether President Trump’s conviction in state court should be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court’s decision giving presidents broad immunity for official acts. If the lawsuit survives, Trump will be sentenced on November 26th.

But in an email to lawyers made public Tuesday, Marchan gave both parties until Nov. 19 to explain why the case should be paused, possibly until President Trump leaves office. Agreed.

The New York case was the only of four criminal indictments filed after Trump left the White House to stand trial.

He was convicted in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with what prosecutors described as a scheme to pay porn stars to cover up his alleged affair with Trump.

However, it was always unclear whether he would be sentenced and ultimately serve a prison term. And that uncertainty increased even more after last week’s election returned him to the presidency.

President Trump’s lawyer Emile Bove on Sunday reduced two separate federal charges against the president-elect over allegations of trying to overturn the 2020 election and possession of classified documents, in a message to Marchand. Citing the Justice Department’s decision, he suggested a new opinion. York prosecutors should do the same.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which filed the hush-money lawsuit, acknowledged that “the outcome of the presidential election, including President Trump’s inauguration in January, had an impact on this proceeding.”

In an email to Marchan, New York prosecutors agreed that “this is an unprecedented situation” and hoped that the decision in the case would “appropriately balance the competing interests” of sentencing the defendant. , said the claims brought forward by Trump’s lawyers “require careful consideration.” and enable the President of the United States to carry out his duties.

Bove went further, arguing in his response to prosecutors that “dismissal of the entire case was necessary to avoid an unconstitutional impediment to President Trump’s ability to govern.”

If Marchand agrees to drop the New York case, Trump will likely succeed in blocking all four criminal charges against Marchand.

The remaining lawsuit was filed by Georgia prosecutors over allegations of trying to overturn the state’s 2020 election, after it was revealed that District Attorney Fani Willis had an affair with her. , is mired in procedural issues as it fights to have her disbarred. It was an outside attorney she hired to assist with the prosecution.

But Trump remains embroiled in a civil lawsuit and still owes more than $450 million after claims to banks found he inflated the value of his assets. He was also ordered to pay more than $88 million to author E. Jean Carroll, who claimed she was assaulted by President Trump in the 1990s and subsequently defamed.

Mr. Trump is appealing these civil judgments.