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.
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.
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.
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.
It’s a shame this man’s right to a speedy trial are being subverted here.
Everyone going “This is for the best, that way he can’t easily appeal” are on lethal doses of copium. This man is never going to see the inside of a prison.
I’m rooting for a blood clot, embolism or aneurysm instead.
It doesn’t keep the voters in the dark about anything. It further cements the fact that nobody with any power to do so is willing to actually hold Trump accountable for the many crimes he has committed. It has been 4 fucking years since he has been president and 8 fucking years since this specific crime was committed. They should have sentenced him immediately after conviction like any normal convicted criminal. I guarantee if he gets elected he won’t get sentenced, so why postpone sentencing?
The sentencing will definitely happen, it’s a state level case and he’s already been found guilty. There’s nothing almost anyone can do to stop the process from continuing at this point.
You bet that if he wins, it won’t. Notice the strategically selected November 18, just 2 weeks after to be sure it is certain.
I know if it state, but if he wins it will be delayed or it will be also in the wrist. If delayed and he gets actual jail time, he will use military to stop it.
Anyway since Merchan did this delay it is now certain that what the sentence is will depend on the election.
They showing us clearly that the law only applies the plebs.
I’ve been disappointed each and every time something gets delayed, but at this point I think I’m willing to acknowledge that it is perhaps best for everyone is Trump is sentenced after the election.
If he were to go to jail now you’d never hear the end of it. As though the US was stolen by the radical left, imprisoning political opponents et cetera. Obviously that’s not a narrative based in reality, but it would be the prevailing narrative amongst conservatives none the less.
The republicans would fall inline behind someone equally repulsive, if just a tiny bit more electable.
The best way forward for everyone is for him to lose convincingly in November, and then send his ass to proper jail with no twitter or diapers et cetera.
On a prison diet with no prospects he will become frail and irrelevant in a matter of weeks. Even his own children wouldn’t bother to visit because jail is icky and their bread is already buttered really. It’s the outcome he deserves and I would very much like to see it.
This is the only way the republican party would dial back the weirdness.
