US President-elect Donald Trump has asked a New York court to postpone his sentencing hearing scheduled for Friday and dismiss the case related to an alleged hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump's lawyers are invoking presidential immunity and arguing that the case would violate his functions as head of state, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Sentencing and court arguments
Judge Juan Mercan rejected several defense requests to dismiss the case, saying that the actions charged were committed by Trump in his private capacity, not as president. Despite his guilty plea to 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal the $130,000 payment to Daniels, the judge said he planned a conditional sentence that would not include prison time.
Case Background
The case dates back to 2016, when Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made the payment to Daniels in an attempt to keep her public silence about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump that occurred a decade earlier. The case was initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. Trump says the charges are politically motivated and aimed at sabotaging his 2024 presidential campaign.
Rule of Law and Political Consequences
The hush money case made Trump the first president in U.S. history to be indicted and convicted of a criminal offense. Merchan rejected claims by Trump's lawyers that the investigation undermines the rule of law.
Despite the charges, Trump and his lawyers have continued to push for the case to be dismissed, saying it is an obstruction of his presidency and an abuse of the justice system. Judge Merchan has given no indication that he will comply with those demands.