Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, has requested a delay in his New York hush money sentencing until after the November election.
In a letter made public Thursday to New York Judge Juan Merchan, Mr. Trump’s lawyers argued that there’s no rush for the sentencing set for Sept. 18.
“Setting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar,” wrote Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove. “There is no basis for continuing to rush. Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the presidential election.”
Mr. Trump’s sentencing already has been moved once from its original date, after the Supreme Court ruled that presidents have some immunity. Judge Merchan is expected to rule on Sept. 16 whether the former president’s hush money case should be thrown out based on the high court’s ruling.
The letter comes after Judge Merchan refused to recuse himself from the case for the third time Wednesday. Mr. Trump’s lawyers argued again that there is a conflict of interest with the case because the judge’s daughter, Loren Merchan, works as a Democratic political consultant, including for Vice President Kamala Harris when she was running for the Democratic nomination in 2020.
The lawyers said the issue is more important than ever because Ms. Harris is now the Democratic presidential nominee and Mr. Trump’s opponent.
Judge Merchan rejected the lawyers’ argument, saying an ethics board looked into the matter and felt he was qualified to preside over the case.
In the letter, Mr. Trump’s lawyers once again mentioned the issue of Judge Merchan and his daughter. The lawyers wrote that by adjourning the sentencing until after that election, “the court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings.”
Mr. Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsified business records in late May by a jury in connection to trying to keep porn star Stormy Daniels quiet about the alleged sexual encounter she had with him.
The former president faces up to four years in prison. He maintains that he has done nothing wrong and has never had a sexual encounter with Ms. Daniels. He has said he will appeal, but cannot do so until he is sentenced.
The Washington Times has reached out to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for comment.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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