A New York judge has scheduled the sentencing of U.S. President-elect Donald J. Trump for January 10 in connection with his hush money case.
Reports suggest that Trump sought to leverage his election victory in an attempt to overturn the criminal conviction, but all efforts to dismiss the case before his inauguration have failed.
Judge Juan Merchan indicated that he would impose a conditional discharge, meaning the case could be closed without jail time, fines, or probation. Trump may attend the hearing either in person or virtually.
Trump’s legal team criticized the decision, calling the case “lawless” and urging for its immediate dismissal.
The charges stem from a May 2024 conviction on 34 felony counts, which accuse Trump of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels. The payment was made to silence Daniels about an alleged affair with Trump during the final days of the 2016 election campaign. Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, made the payment on his behalf.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the case is an attempt to damage his 2024 presidential campaign.
On Friday, Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, condemned Judge Merchan’s ruling, stating, “President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to carry out his presidential duties, free from interference by this or any other politically motivated investigations.”
Source: BBC News
