The judge overseeing Donald J. Trump’s criminal case in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after Election Day, a significant victory for the former president as he seeks to overturn his conviction and win back the White House.
In a ruling on Friday, the judge, Juan M. Merchan, rescheduled the sentencing for Nov. 26. He had previously planned to hand down Mr. Trump’s punishment on Sept. 18, just seven weeks before Election Day, when Mr. Trump will face off against Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency.
While the decision will avert a courtroom spectacle in the campaign’s final stretch, the delay itself could still affect the election, keeping voters in the dark about whether the Republican presidential nominee will eventually spend time behind bars.
The intent here is probably to avoid MAGA riots before the election.
That’s not a very good reason or justification to delay.
If that worries the justice system, then Trump can never be sentenced. He has cult followers for life.
I believe it is a good enough reason to delay sentencing.
Am I happy with it? Ofc not. But I do understand that nobody wants the orange’s followers rioting and murdering people in the run-up to the election.
Let the election happen and then all the focus can be on his sentencing (25+ years is my wish).
Government capitulation to threats or concerns of a violent mob, is always bad idea. It only serves to embolden the mob.
My bet would be that it’s to avoid influencing the election rather than riots.
Whichever sentence he gives, it has the potential to make him more likely to win, thereby undermining the sentence.
Personally, I’d like to see justice happen in a way that can be blind to that outside context, but we don’t live in that world.
I don’t like it, but I get it.
it’s to avoid influencing the election
He’s already been found guilty and nobody seems to care one way or the other. What’s sentencing going to change?
A prison sentence looks way more like political suppression than just “guilty but still speaking publicly”.
Still don’t think it was the right thing to do, but I can see why a judge who has otherwise seemed same and nonpartisan would be inclined to make that choice.
A few years back, I would have said that they are trying to uphold the image of democracy. “Vote for Harris, a guy you’ve never heard of or this criminal, your choice” isn’t a good look… sad that we ended up here anyway.
Probably also trying to avoid the headache of “what happens when a candidate is sent to prison”. That’s either going to be a lot of work for you or someone you know higher up, who isn’t going to like that paperwork, especially such a high profile case.
