Summary
New York judge Juan Merchan denied Donald Trump’s request to delay his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, set for January 10, 2025, just 10 days before his inauguration.
Trump argued for a delay based on pending immunity appeals, but the court rejected the claim, citing repetitive arguments and delays caused by Trump himself.
Prosecutors noted the timing avoids potential legal complications during his presidency.
The judge plans to sentence Trump to an unconditional discharge, leaving him a convicted felon without further punishment.
The case involves hush money payments from 2016.
I doubt very much that the Founding Fathers had any illusion about the judgment capacity of the populace. If they had, the electoral college wouldn’t exist.
But they did believe that letting the citizens decide, however bad the decision, was the least worst option. And - more relevant to the Trump problem - I’m convinced they believed there was a level of stupidity and lack of morals below which even the most uneducated, most foolish citizenry could never stoop. That’s why didn’t put guardrails against the unthinkable.
Of course, Trump and the magards proved them wrong: there is no bottom rung on that particular ladder.