'Election interference': Trump lawyers call for delayed sentencing in Bragg case
Lawyers for former President Trump are requesting his sentencing hearing in New York v. Trump be delayed until after the November presidential election, citing "naked election-interference objectives."
Trump was found guilty in an unprecedented criminal trial on all counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, following a six-week trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation.
Trump has moved to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan case after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a former president has substantial immunity for official acts committed while in office.
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His initial sentencing was set for July 11 — just days before the Republican National Convention, where he was set to be formally nominated as the 2024 GOP presidential nominee, but Judge Juan Merchan agreed to delay that until Sept. 18.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche on Thursday moved to further delay that sentencing hearing.
"The Court should adjourn any sentencing in this case, though one should not be necessary because dismissal and vacatur of the jury’s verdicts are required based on Presidential immunity, until after the 2024 Presidential election," Blanche wrote in a letter to Merchan.
Blanche argued that the case "should be dismissed" and pointed to the fact that Vice President Kamala Harris, in her capacity as the Democratic presidential nominee, and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in his capacity as the Democratic vice presidential nominee, "wrongly referred to this case in a public speech."
Blanche also pointed to Merchan’s daughter’s work at Authentic Campaigns, which represents top Democratic candidates.
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