Trump sentenced for covering up hush money payments to Stormy Daniels

The incoming president tried to get the sentencing quashed in the Supreme Court but to no avail. He reasserted his innocence in court and said he was a victim of “lawfare”.

On Friday US time, Judge Juan Merchan said it was a “truly extraordinary case”.

“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances”.

As expected, the judge gave Mr Trump an unconditional discharge on all 34 charges. That means that while Mr Trump is guilty and is a felon he will not receive a fine or any jail time.

Mr Trump’s lawyers confirmed the sentence would be appealed.

Judge Merchan said that while the Supreme Court had said presidents had some immunity from prosecution, an argument Mr Trump had hoped would free him from sentencing, that did not apply in this case. 

“One power they do not provide is the power to erase a jury verdict”.

The judge said it was “the only lawful sentence, without encroaching upon the highest office of the land”.

He added: “I wish you godspeed as you assume your second term in office”.

Trump: ‘I’m totally innocent’

The president-elect opted not to appear in the Manhattan courtroom where he spent long weeks during the trial in the northern summer. 

“This has been a very terrible experience,” he told Judge Merchan after being invited to speak. 

“The fact is that I’m totally innocent, I did nothing wrong”.

Mr Trump called the trial “lawfare”.

Mr Trump said the case had been brought to stop him from winning re-election. 

“I would like to explain that I was treated very, very unfairly, and I thank you very much,” he told the judge.

He shuffled in his chair, shook his head from side to side when the prosecution spoke and chatted to his lawyer, Todd Blanche, during proceedings. 

“The jury’s verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said during the hearing.

He added that Mr Trump had been “far from expressing any kind of remorse for his criminal conduct”.

“He’s been unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks”.

Mr Trump’s lawyer, Mr Blanche, who has been nominated to become the US deputy attorney general under the new Trump administration, said the trial was a “sad day,” for Mr Trump, his family and friends and “the country”.

“There’s many, many legal experts that share the same views that … legally this case should not have been brought”.

“The majority of the American people also agree,” he said.

The trial saw Mr Trump forced to look on as a string of witnesses testified that he had fraudulently covered up illicit payments Ms Daniels in an effort to stop her disclosing their tryst ahead of the 2016 presidential election, which he ultimately won.

Ms Daniels gave toe-curling testimony that included details about her sexual encounter with Mr Trump — which he has always denied — as well as his flirting and interest in the adult film industry.

The judge intervened to stop more explicit testimony.

Trump had made an eleventh-hour plea for a suspension of the criminal proceedings to the nation’s highest court but the Supreme Court ruled that it could proceed.

 

Prosecutors opposed the effort to stave off sentencing, 10 days before Mr Trump was due to be sworn in for a second term.

Mr Trump, 78, had potentially faced up to four years in prison. 

“He’s sticking his middle finger at the judge, the jury, the system of justice, and laughing,” said Pace University law professor and former prosecutor Bennett Gershman.

Mr Trump’s counsel had argued sentencing should be postponed while the Republican appeals his conviction, but New York State Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer rejected that on Tuesday.

Trump’s lawyers additionally claimed the immunity from prosecution granted to a US president should be extended to a president-elect — Ms Gesmer also brushed those arguments aside.

His lawyers had further sought to have the case dismissed based on the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling last year, which stated former US presidents have sweeping immunity from prosecution for a range of official acts committed while in office.

Mr Trump was certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday, four years after his supporters rioted at the US Capitol as he sought to overturn his 2020 defeat.

– with AFP.