Forbes By Alison Durkee
President-elect Donald Trump’s guilty verdict on 34 felony counts in New York won’t be thrown out due to his presidential election, Judge Juan Merchan ruled Friday, keeping one of the only remaining criminal cases against Trump alive as the judge set Trump’s sentencing for just 10 days before his inauguration—but made clear he doesn’t intend to sentence Trump to prison.
Former President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom during the second day of his criminal trial atMerchan denied Trump’s request to have the verdict against him thrown out, scheduling the sentencing for Jan. 10 at 9:30 a.m. after previously postponing it following Trump’s election.
Trump asked for the verdict against him to be thrown out in light of his presidential election, arguing that continuing the legal proceedings would “threaten the functioning of the federal government” and violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution that prioritizes federal law over state law.
Prosecutors argued the case shouldn’t be thrown out, even as they acknowledged Trump’s presidency could require the court to make accommodations, suggesting Merchan should postpone Trump’s sentencing until after he leaves office, or simply end the case without throwing it out or sentencing Trump—as courts do when a defendant dies before they’re sentenced.
Merchan upheld the case moving forward, ruling Trump’s election does not justify throwing out the jury’s verdict and that the sentencing does not disrupt Trump’s presidency.
The judge said he was not persuaded by prosecutors’ suggestions that Trump’s sentencing should be postponed until 2029 or dropped entirely, arguing that postponing the sentencing is “less desirable” than holding it before Inauguration Day for “obvious” reasons…
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Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
President Trump should show up in court with an armed squad of Marines backing him.
Then I want President Trump to look Judge Juan Merchan in the face and say, “I reject your sentence, I reject your BS conviction and I will not comply with any order from you or this court. When I assume the Presidency, I will deal with you and every other crooked actor in the DOJ.”
Then turn around and walk out with the Marines!