Trump Drops BOMB After Last-Minute Sentencing Date
Just days before his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump criticized Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan and District Attorney Alvin Bragg for their decision to imprison him over the contentious “hush money” case set for sentencing on January 10.
Earlier this year, Trump faced conviction on 34 felony counts of “falsifying business records” in a polarizing trial. The Manhattan D.A. relied on COVID-era rules to extend the statute of limitations for what would typically be a misdemeanor tied to an administrative payment error. Bragg escalated the case to a felony by alleging a “conspiracy” to commit an additional crime. However, Bragg never specified the additional crime, and Judge Merchan instructed the jury they didn’t need consensus on the details of the supposed offense to convict Trump.
On Friday, Judge Merchan announced that while Trump would not face imprisonment, fines, or probation, he would still be sentenced on January 10, following a previous delay. Trump responded with a lengthy Truth Social post Saturday morning, accusing Merchan of dishonesty. “I never falsified business records. It is a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department, an attack on their political opponent, ME! He created a case where there was none. Keeps a ‘gag order’ on me so that I can’t talk about how crooked he is. The Fake News knows all about it, but they refuse to talk,” Trump wrote.
“He may be the most conflicted judge in New York State history.”
In a follow-up post, Trump declared, “There has never been a President who was so evilly and illegally treated as I. Corrupt Democrat judges and prosecutors have gone against a political opponent of a President, ME, at levels of injustice never seen before. Corrupt judges, or judges so blinded by their hatred of me and my political ideology to ‘MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,’ are making a mockery of the United States Judicial System, and the World is watching in disgust.”
Since his involvement in the case, Judge Merchan has faced repeated accusations of corruption, many linked to his daughter’s political activities. Loren Merchan, a prominent Democratic political consultant, has reportedly assisted campaigns in raising millions of dollars, with some efforts allegedly using Trump’s legal battles as a focal point.
Merchan’s consulting firm, Authentic Campaigns, lists numerous high-profile Democrats among its clients. These include the Biden-Harris campaign, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA). Additionally, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (D-NY), who has claimed to have prepared “star witness” Michael Cohen for his testimony against Trump, is also associated with the firm.
Notably, Judge Merchan personally contributed to Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign.