Trump seeks to delay hush money sentencing until after presidential election

• Lawyers for Donald Trump asked a New York judge to delay the former president's sentencing date in his criminal hush money case until after the presidential election.
• They suggested that there was no reason for Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan to stick to the current sentencing schedule aside from "naked election-interference objectives."
• Merchan previously postponed Trump's sentencing date after the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents are entitled to "presumptive immunity" for their official acts.

Lawyers for Donald Trump have asked a New York judge to delay the former president's sentencing date in his criminal hush money case until after the Nov. 5 presidential election.

The Republican presidential nominee's legal team argued that pushing Trump's sentencing past the election would "reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings," in a letter obtained by NBC News.

They also claimed that there was no reason for New York Judge Juan Merchan to stick to the current sentencing schedule, aside from "naked election-interference objectives."

"There is no basis for continuing to rush," read the letter from attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, dated Wednesday. "Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election."

Trump is currently scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day.

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