Former President Donald Trump’s sentencing for 34 felonies has been postponed indefinitely by a New York state judge. The decision comes after New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg stated he would not oppose Trump’s motion to suspend the criminal case during his upcoming term as president. Legal experts have long held that a sitting president cannot face criminal prosecution, creating an unprecedented situation as Trump became the first convict to win a presidential election. Trump’s attorneys and prosecutors jointly requested a delay to determine how to proceed following his election victory.
The Trump campaign believes that the election results show voters have rejected the criminal charges against the former president. Trump’s defense team has also been granted permission to file a motion to dismiss the charges altogether, with a deadline set for Dec. 2 for Trump’s brief arguing for dismissal. Bragg has stated he will fight against dismissing the case entirely.
The convictions against Trump include falsifying business records by paying hush money to Stormy Daniels to conceal an alleged affair during the 2016 presidential campaign. Each conviction carries a maximum sentence of four years in state prison. This case was the only one of four prosecutions against Trump to reach the trial stage since he left the White House.
The U.S. Justice Department special counsel is wrapping up the two federal cases against Trump, in line with the department’s policy not to prosecute sitting presidents. Special counsel Jack Smith is reportedly planning to resign before Trump takes office. The developments in the legal proceedings against Trump highlight the challenges and complexities of prosecuting a former president.
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