Manhattan DA to recommend next steps in Trump’s criminal hush money case

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg expected to recommend next steps in Donald Trump’s decision New York hush money case Tuesday, following the “unprecedented circumstances” of the former president’s election following his conviction on 34 felony charges earlier this year.

Trump’s sentence in the criminal case has been announced tentatively planned for November 26, despite the insistence of defense lawyers. new York Judge Juan Merchan will dismiss the case before Trump’s upcoming inauguration.

“Remaining in office and impeachment are necessary to prevent unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern,” defense attorney Emil Bove told the court last week. he said.

Since July, Trump’s lawyers have been pushing to vacate the conviction and dismiss the case, arguing that prosecutors filled “glaring holes in their case” with evidence of official actions in which the Supreme Court recently struck down landmark limits. Presidential immunity decision.

Trump’s lawyers also argued for impeachment, citing the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, which encourages government officials to “take lawful steps to prevent or minimize disruptions” to the presidential transition process.

Prosecutors have given no public signal of impending sentencing since Trump’s election, although they have argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump was entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution for official actions he took while in office had no bearing on Trump’s conviction. .

Prosecutors requested additional time to advise the court on “appropriate steps forward” based on the impact of Trump’s victory.

“The public agrees these are unprecedented circumstances,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told the court last week.

Judge Merchan after joint request for additional time postponed his decision On how the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling affects the lawsuit Trump originally planned to release last week.

Trump was found guilty of all 34 felonies in May fraud in business records It concerns the payment of hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to silence allegations that she had sexual intercourse with Trump in 2006 in order to increase his chances of being elected in the 2016 presidential election.

Conviction carries a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison, but first-time offenders will normally receive a lesser sentence.