Donald Trump has asked a New York judge to put a pause on his upcoming sentencing hearing while he appeals the decision to uphold his conviction on 34 felony charges in a case tied to alleged hush-money payments.
On Monday, Trump’s lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, filed a request with Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan. They argued that Trump plans to appeal Merchan’s earlier rulings, which rejected the idea that presidents are immune from prosecution for actions taken while in office. Trump’s team believes this immunity should also apply during the period when he is president-elect.
The 17-page filing highlighted Trump’s challenge to Merchan’s rulings from December 16 and January 3. The earlier decisions dismissed Trump’s arguments that he should be shielded from this case because of presidential immunity. His legal team insists that the case violates his rights and was politically motivated from the start.
In their filing, Trump’s lawyers criticized the case and claimed the appeal should automatically stop the trial from moving forward. They said the scheduled sentencing hearing on January 10, 2025, must be postponed until the appeal is resolved.
Judge Merchan, in a previous 18-page order, declined to throw out the case. However, he hinted that Trump is unlikely to face any severe punishment. Merchan has allowed Trump to attend the sentencing virtually, and he signaled that an “unconditional discharge” might be the most practical outcome. This would mean no further penalties for Trump, which is often done when a judge sees no value in imposing a harsher sentence.
Despite this leniency, Merchan didn’t hold back in his criticism of Trump’s behavior during the case. The judge noted Trump’s public disdain for the legal system, including his frequent criticism of judges and juries on social media. Merchan said Trump’s attitude was considered when deciding whether to dismiss the charges but ultimately didn’t work in Trump’s favor.
Trump’s spokesperson, Steven Cheung, called the case politically motivated. In a statement, Cheung accused the justice system of being used as a weapon against Trump and described the case as a “witch hunt.” Cheung added that Trump’s focus is on reuniting the country and moving forward with his administration.
As of Monday morning, appellate court and central criminal court clerks in New York had not yet received Trump’s appeal documents. Trump’s legal team urged the court to make a quick decision on their request, asking for a ruling by 2 p.m. that same day.
This latest move is another chapter in Trump’s ongoing legal battles, as he continues to challenge the charges and the system behind them.