Donald Trump‘s sentencing in his New York hush money case has been called off as the court decides how to move forward.
According to a short court note, the sentencing scheduled for later this month on November 26 has been indefinitely ‘adjourned.’
It comes as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg had a November 19 deadline to argue how the case against the president-elect should proceed.
Last week, Judge Juan Merchan pushed back a decision on whether the Supreme Court‘s historic presidential immunity decision applies to the case.
In May, a New York jury found the now-incoming president guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to silence porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Merchan had been expected to make a decision on the Trump team’s argument that the former president’s conduct was entitled to immunity protections following the ruling.
Trump was facing up to four years in jail, although many experts say the first time offender was unlikely to get jail time even before his stunning election sweep two weeks ago.
Attorneys for the president-elect had argued that the the case should be dismissed outright.
Donald Trump ‘s sentencing in his New York hush money case has been called off as the court decides how to move forward
In May, a New York jury found the now-incoming president guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo wrote the judge last week asking for the delay and noting the ‘impact on this proceeding from the results of the Presidential election.’
‘The People agree that these are unprecedented circumstances,’ he wrote, pointing to the need to balance ‘a jury verdict of guilt following trial that has the presumption of regularity; and the Office of the President.’
Trump lawyer Emil Bove called for a stay and dismissal of the case in order to ‘avoid unconstitutional impediments to President Trump’s ability to govern.’
The 6-3 ruling by the Supreme Court’s conservative majority came in July, after the trial.
The ruling stated that the President of the United States has immunity from prosecution for official acts in office.
‘The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official. The President is not above the law,’ the justices led by Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority.
‘But under our system of separated powers, the President may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for his official acts. That immunity applies equally to all occupants of the Oval Office.’
Trump celebrated the decision, writing on Truth Social: ‘Big win for our constitution and democracy. Proud to be an American!’
Trump’s team has already used the ruling, which sets out sweeping areas of ‘official’ conduct that is protected from prosecution while a president is in office, to argue the case should be tossed out.
Among the evidence shown at trial were White House meetings between Trump and former fixer Michael Cohen, who was a star witness for the prosecution.
Stormy Daniels was at the center of the hush money trial that went down in the spring
It comes as Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg had a November 19 deadline to argue how the case against the president-elect should proceed
Trump has picked his personal criminal defense lawyers to lead the Justice Department
Cohen was seeking reimbursement for ‘hush’ payments paid to porn star Stormy Daniels. Cohen paid the porn star $130,000 weeks before the 2016 election and got reimbursed.
Meanwhile, Trump has picked his personal criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche as his Deputy Attorney General and added other attorneys who have represented him to senior Department of Justice positions.
Blanche, who defended the 78-year-old in his New York hush-money trial, would be Matt Gaetz’s No. 2 at the Department of Justice and head day-to-day operations.
‘I am pleased to announce that Todd Blanche will serve as Deputy Attorney General in my Administration,’ Trump announced Thursday evening.
‘Todd is an excellent attorney who will be a crucial leader in the Justice Department, fixing what has been a broken System of Justice for far too long.’
Trump touted the 50-year-old’s experience in prosecuting gangs and the fact he stood by his side during the Manhattan case where he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records.
Trump has picked his personal criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche (right) as his Deputy Attorney General
Emil Bove (left), another attorney on the hush money trial team, was given the role of principal associate deputy attorney general
Emil Bove, another attorney on the hush money trial team, was given the role of principal associate deputy attorney general.
John Sauer, the lawyer in Trump’s Supreme Court immunity case, was chosen as solicitor general.
The president-elect made the moves as Republicans appeared increasingly skeptical that Gaetz’s nomination could make it through the Senate.
Attorneys for the president-elect had argued that the the case should be dismissed outright
Gaetz had been the subject of a years-long House Ethics Committee probe that ended Wednesday after his abrupt resignation from Congress, one day after Trump shockingly nominated him to be the top law enforcement official in the nation.
His exit comes as allegations resurfaced Thursday about a woman who reportedly testified to the committee that Gaetz had sex with her when she was 17.
The FBI had investigated similar claims against Gaetz, but the DOJ opted not to indict him over claims he sex trafficked a minor.
Trump’s pick of the embattled former congressman to oversee the Justice Department, FBI, DEA, ATF and related agencies has shocked Republicans and Democrats.
And the bombshell claims could derail his hopes of taking the helm as attorney general.