DA Alvin Bragg pushes for 2029 Trump sentencing date in latest filing
One major, priceless benefit of winning a presidential election is that your legal troubles typically go away, as prosecuting and/or sentencing an elected or sitting president isn't really a thing.
According to the Washington Examiner, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is smart enough to at least understand that, but instead of dropping the state hush money case he brought, he's pushing for the sentencing to happen in 2029 after Trump leaves the White House.
Prosecutors argued that while Trump should be allowed to pursue the dismissal of the 34 charges for which he was convicted, sentencing should be frozen until he no longer has executive powers as president.
Judge Juan Merchan had set a deadline of Tuesday for Bragg to submit a plan on how to deal with the situation now that Trump will occupy the Oval Office for the next four years.
Bragg and his prosecutors explained to the judge in the filing how they would like to move forward with the case.
"The People believe that the Court should set a motion schedule for Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss, which the People intend to oppose," the prosecutors wrote.
They noted that the Nov. 26 sentencing date might need to be adjourned, writing, "the People would not oppose a defense motion for a stay of further proceedings before this Court while Defendant’s motion is adjudicated."
BREAKING: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg agrees to postpone Trump's sentencing — floats a potential 2029 date, after he leaves office.
Trump will NOT be sentenced next week. pic.twitter.com/8QsPac09x9
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) November 19, 2024
Bragg and his team pushed for sentencing to happen after Trump is once again out of the White House.
"Given the need to balance competing constitutional interests, consideration must be given to various non-dismissal options that may address any concerns raised by the pendency of a post-trial criminal proceeding during the presidency, such as deferral of all remaining criminal proceedings until after the end of Defendant’s upcoming presidential term," they wrote.
Trump and his lawyers have argued that a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that essentially resulted in the dismissal of at least one of the federal cases should also apply in the New York case as issue.
Judge Merchan was set to deliver an opinion on whether he agreed with that take, but he ultimately delayed his decision to see how Bragg and his prosecutors wanted to proceed.
A spokesperson for Trump called the news a "definitive victory" in the case.
"The Manhattan DA has conceded that this Witch Hunt cannot continue. The lawless case is now stayed, and President Trump’s legal team is moving to get it dismissed once and for all," the spokesperson said.