In another win for Donald Trump, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that he would not oppose former President’s plea to delay his hush money sentencing, which is currently scheduled for July 11.
“Although we believe defendant’s arguments to be without merit, we do not oppose his request for leave to file and his putative request to adjourn sentencing pending determination of his motion,” assistant district attorney Josh Steinglass mentioned in a letter sent to Judge Juan Merchan.
This comes after Trump moved on Monday to reverse his criminal conviction in the Manhattan case in wake of the US Supreme Court‘s ruling that a former president has considerable immunity for official acts performed while being in the office.
On May 30, a Manhattan jury found Trump guilty on 34 charges of fabricating documents related to hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence on their alleged affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
What Trump’s lawyers have to say?
On Monday, Trump’s legal team wrote to Judge Juan Merchan to request permission to submit a motion contending that the judgments ought to be overturned.
Trump’s defense lawyers cited evidence and testimony that they felt should have been shielded by presidential immunity, such as a government ethics form, multiple tweets from the president, and the testimony of former Trump aide Hope Hicks.
Todd Blanche stated that the convictions in this case “violate the presidential immunity doctrine and create grave risks of ‘an Executive Branch that cannibalizes itself.” “After further briefing on these issues beginning on July 10, 2024, it will be manifest that the trial result cannot stand.”
Highlighting testimony of Hicks, Trump’s legal team stressed that she said Trump wanted the details of his alleged affair with Stormy Daniels, which he strongly denies, be made public after the 2016 election. “I think Mr. Trump’s opinion was it was better to be dealing with it now, and that it would have been bad to have that story come out before the election,” Hicks said in testimony.
Trump’s lawyers now seem to rely on one passage in the Supreme Court’s ruling that said: “Testimony or private records of the President or his advisers probing such conduct may not be admitted as evidence at trial.”
In addition, Trump’s attorneys contended that the Office of Government Ethics’s 2018 submission, phone data from Trump’s administration, and social media posts regarding his former attorney Michael Cohen should not have been permitted.
Also Read: Trump immunity ruling allows presidents to order ‘assassination’ of rivals, ‘poison’ staff
Manhattan DA seeks time to serve his response
Bragg sought time to submit and serve his response on July 24, which is two weeks after Trump’s requested deadline.
Trump’s sentencing date was scheduled for July 11, which is a few days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump is anticipated to receive an official nomination for the Republican presidential candidacy in 2024.
