New York Prosecutors Want Judge to Delay Trump’s Hush Fine

New York prosecutors on Tuesday asked to supervise the judge Donald Trump‘s hush money lawsuit seeks to suspend the president-elect’s sentence to allow for more discussion about the complex legal issues at hand.

While Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg asked for more time, Bragg said he would oppose the motion to dismiss the case entirely.

Trump was convicted of all 34 felonies by a jury of 12 New Yorkers in May, but his sentence was overturned multiple times.

It was last planned for November 26, but this date is not currently live.

The Supreme Court was the first to complicate the sentencing process. reigned in July that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution. Longstanding precedent also prevents the prosecution of sitting presidents, meaning Trump’s reelection further complicates the trial.

Now, New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan will have to decide whether to delay sentencing for perhaps four more years or throw out the case altogether, given that Trump will retake the White House in January.

Bragg asked Merchan to set a Dec. 9 deadline for Trump’s team to file its impeachment request. He later stated that Merchan would have more to say about “non-dismissal options.”

“The people believe that further proceedings before this Court should be postponed to allow for litigation on Defendant’s upcoming motion to dismiss, and therefore the people will not oppose a defense motion to postpone further proceedings before this Court while Defendant’s motion is determined.” Bragg wrote the following in his letter to the judge.

Bragg acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the proceedings and said his office has “deep respect for the Office of the President.”

“We also deeply respect the fundamental role of the jury in our constitutional system,” Bragg said.

Deadlines in the case have been thrown into disarray since Trump won the election earlier this month. Merchan decided last week to delay a decision on how to proceed with the case after Trump’s win.

Two federal criminal cases filed against Trump by special attorney Jack Smith are being terminated without a hearing Ahead of Smith’s expected resignation.

The criminal case against Trump in New York centered on his payment of $130,000 in hush money to porn actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from making allegations about an alleged affair in the days before the 2016 presidential election.

Trump’s then-personal attorney, Michael Cohen, arranged the payment on behalf of his boss, and his boss reimbursed him for a year for what were described as legal services in business records.

Prosecutors successfully argued that these business records were falsified to conceal the true nature of the repayment.

Trump has long denied having an affair with Daniels and any wrongdoing and has described the investigation as a political witch hunt.

Trump’s communications director, Steven Cheung, declared “complete and final victory” in a statement on Tuesday, falsely stating that the case was “now postponed.”

CORRECTION: This story has been changed to clarify that the Nov. 26 sentencing hearing will likely be canceled but will remain on the record until Judge Merchan responds.