Trump to be sentenced just days before taking office in Hush money scandal

In a major development, former President-elect Donald Trump will be sentenced on January 10, just 10 days before his inauguration on January 20.

This sentencing stems from his conviction in the hush money case, which has been making headlines for months. 

Despite his legal troubles, Judge Juan Merchan has indicated that Trump is unlikely to face jail time.

Judge Merchan, who is handling the case, stated that Trump could attend his sentencing either in person or virtually. 

Trump, who became the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime, was found guilty by a New York jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records. 

His legal team had tried to get the conviction thrown out, but the judge rejected their motions.

Instead of jail time, Merchan is leaning towards giving Trump an unconditional discharge. 

This means Trump won‍‍`t have any further restrictions, but he will still be entering the White House as a convicted felon.

Legal experts had anticipated that Trump, who is 78, would not face jail time, even before he won the November election. 

He could have faced up to four years in prison, but Merchan made it clear that incarceration wasn’t likely. 

"It seems proper at this juncture to make known the Court‍‍`s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration," the judge explained. He added that prosecutors also did not see a prison sentence as a realistic option.

Trump, who is expected to appeal, reacted strongly to the decision on Friday. He called the case a “Rigged Charade” on his Truth Social platform, accusing the judge of being biased. 

"This illegitimate political attack is nothing but a Rigged Charade," Trump wrote. 

He went on to say that the ruling "goes against our Constitution" and, if allowed to stand, "would be the end of the Presidency as we know it."

The conviction stems from a hush money payment Trump made to adult film star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. 

The payment was to stop her from discussing an alleged affair with Trump that took place in 2006. 

Trump‍‍`s lawyers argued that the case should be dismissed because former presidents are immune from prosecution for actions they took while in office. However, the judge disagreed.

Merchan pointed out that once Trump is sworn in, he will have presidential immunity. 

“Finding no legal impediment to sentencing and recognizing that Presidential immunity will likely attach once Defendant takes his Oath of Office, it is incumbent upon this Court to set this matter down for imposition of sentence prior to January 20, 2025,” Merchan said.

Trump‍‍`s Team Speaks Out

Trump’s spokesman, Steven Cheung, condemned the decision to move forward with sentencing, calling it a “direct violation of the Supreme Court‍‍`s Immunity decision.” 

He argued that the case should have been dismissed long ago. 

“This lawless case should have never been brought, and the Constitution demands that it be immediately dismissed,” Cheung said in a statement.

Cheung emphasized that Trump needs to focus on the presidential transition process without being distracted by legal battles. 

“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,” he stated. 

Cheung added, "There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead."

Other Legal Challenges

Trump has faced other legal issues as well, including two federal cases brought by special counsel Jack Smith. 

One involved accusations that Trump tried to overturn the 2020 election results, while the other concerned classified documents he took from the White House. 

However, these cases were dropped because of a long-standing Justice Department policy not to prosecute sitting presidents.

In addition, Trump is facing racketeering charges in Georgia over his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results there. 

But like the other cases, this one is expected to be put on hold while Trump is in office.