President-elect Donald Trump voiced his outrage on Truth Social after New York Judge Juan Merchan scheduled a sentencing date of January 10 in his New York “hush money” case. Trump warned that if the judge’s decision is upheld, it could mark “the end of the Presidency as we know it.” Unless the decision is overturned or delayed, the sentencing will take place just ten days before Trump’s return to the White House.
“Every Legal Scholar and Pundit, including the highly respected, and sadly recently passed, David Rivkin, as well as Jonathan Turley, Elie Honig, Andy McCarthy, Alan Dershowitz, Gregg Jarrett, Elizabeth Price Foley, Katie and Andy Cherkasky, Paul Ingrassia, and many others, have unequivocally stated that the Manhattan D.A.’s Witch Hunt is a nonexistent case, which is not only barred by the Statute of Limitations but, on the merits, should never have been brought,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade. ‘Acting’ Justice Merchan, who is a radical partisan, just issued another order that is knowingly unlawful, goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it,” he added.
Trump concluded, “Merchan has so little respect for the Constitution that he is keeping in place an illegal gag order on me, your President and President Elect, just so I cannot expose his and his family’s disqualifying and illegal conflicts. I am the only Political Opponent in American History not allowed to defend myself – A despicable First Amendment Violation!”
The Hill reported that the judge “signaled he is inclined to impose no punishment for his felony conviction.” It added: “Merchan signaled in his ruling that he is not inclined to impose a sentence involving prison time, given concerns about his immunity from criminal prosecution upon taking the oath of office. Instead, he suggested an unconditional discharge ‘appears to be the most viable solution.'”
In May, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 to secure her silence about an alleged sexual encounter in 2006. The president-elect has consistently and vehemently denied Daniels’ allegations. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement about the sentencing, “President Trump must be allowed to continue the Presidential Transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the Witch Hunts.”
