Trump's Trials - Trump hush money sentencing postponed until after the election

Episode Date: September 6, 2024

For this episode of Trump's Trials, All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with NPR politics reporter Ximena Bustillo. New York Judge Juan Merchan delayed former President Donald Trump's sentencing in the hush money fraud case to November 26th, after the presidential election. In May, a jury found Trump guilty of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. This is the second time sentencing has been delayed. Follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify for new episodes each Saturday.Sign up for sponsor-free episodes and support NPR's political journalism at plus.npr.org/trumpstrials.Email the show at [e-mail] more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's Trump's Trials from NPR. I'm Scott Dettro. We love Trump! This is a persecution. He actually just stormed out of the courtroom. Innocent to proven guilty in a court of law. New York Judge Juan Marchand has once again delayed former President Donald Trump's sentencing and the case where Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts. Remember, this is the case surrounding falsified business records in connection to payments

made to adult film star Stormy Daniels. A jury found Trump guilty in May. Judge Mershon originally scheduled sentencing for July 11th, then delayed it to September 12th after the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity. Now it has been delayed again until November 26th, which is, of course, after the presidential election. Stick around, and NPR politics reporter Jimena Bustillo will explain why sentencing keeps getting delayed. Scott Detro You're listening to Trump's Trials. I'm Scott Detro.

And now, here's Mary-Louise Kelly. Mary-Louise Kelly Talk us through this new timeline and how Election Day is going to figure in. Mary-Louise Kelly Well, New York Judge Juan Marchand, who has been presiding over this trial, has set a new sentencing date from November 26th. That's more than two months after the prior date of September 18th. That is also after Election Day on November 5th when Trump faces off against Vice President Kamala Harris. There's also a new date for a hearing over various other

issues raised after Trump's criminal conviction in May. This includes whether there is any impact from the Supreme Court's decision that presidents have immunity for official acts in office. That hearing will take place on November 12th. In his decision, Murchon said that the delay was to avoid any appearance of political bias, and in particular to not be seen as trying to influence the 2024 election. Okay, so kicking this all until after the election, and as you noted, this is the judge making an effort to appear unbiased. Is that effort working? In short, no. After the delay today, Trump's campaign and Trump himself once again called

the trial a witch hunt and a political attack against him in order to interfere with the election. Trump and his lawyers have spent the summer trying to blunt the case's impact, in part by accusing Mershon of political bias. And they've also involved Mershon's daughter, who is a Democratic political consultant. They argued Mershon should be dismissed because she has a bias that might influence her dad. Accusations of political bias have also been spread by Trump's GOP allies. Republicans in Congress called on prosecutors on this case to testify in Washington. Prosecutors agreed to appear, but only after sentencing is complete. Danielle Pletka Okay. And just step back and talk about this trial, all the other court cases still

in play, how they are playing into the campaigns. Shaleen Khan Of course, this isn't the only legal trouble for Trump. He is accused of election interference after the 2020 election in both the state of Georgia and in a federal case. On Trump's side, he has fundraised on the New York criminal conviction and these other trials. At rallies and at the Republican National Convention, there was a lot of legal themed merch, such as the mugshot from his Georgia indictment. Trump also wants permission to campaign more broadly using the New York case, though that's going to be limited in part due to a gag order, which stops him from talking about prosecutors, court staff, or their families.

A state appeals court has decided that since that criminal process is ongoing, that gag order is partially still in place. Mershon, the judge, is not covered by this order. Got it. Okay. Thank you, Jimena. Thank you. And Piers Jimena, who's still. Thanks for listening to Trump's Trials from NPR. Keep an eye out for more episodes like this whenever big news happens. I'm Scott Detro. Whalen, how much do you think it would cost to buy one of those big digital billboards

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