Trump Escapes Jail Time in Hush Money Case, Prepares for White House Arrival
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New York, Jan 10 (NationPress) A local judge delivered an unconditional discharge to President-elect Donald Trump in relation to his hush money case conviction on Friday, just ten days before his upcoming entrance into the White House. The judge refrained from imposing any prison time or additional penalties.
Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the case via video link, confirmed Trump’s conviction without imposing any consequences after the Supreme Court declined to intervene.
This marks a historic moment as Trump will become the first President to take office with a criminal record.
The outcome was a modest triumph for local prosecutor Alvin Bragg, a Democratic candidate, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who highlighted the conviction for political leverage. However, 1.77 million American voters chose to reject their agenda by electing Trump as President.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida during the sentencing via video link, Trump remarked, “This is a great embarrassment to the state of New York.”
He emphasized that the voters witnessed the events unfold and made their choice accordingly.
Judge Merchan noted that he was considering Trump’s impending presidency, stating he would have imposed penalties had Trump been a private citizen.
Trump has consistently maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.
The case stemmed from allegations by a porn star regarding a sexual encounter with Trump.
Michael Cohen, Trump’s attorney, made a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to secure her silence.
Trump later reimbursed Cohen, categorizing the payments as legal expenses, which the prosecutor claimed constituted criminal fraud, a claim accepted by the jury.
Bragg categorized each check and ledger entry as separate criminal offenses, resulting in a total of 34 convictions.
Trump denied the allegations of an affair, asserting that the payment was made to protect his family from embarrassment.
A jury found him guilty of 34 offenses prior to the November election, with the sentencing delayed due to the election and ongoing appeals.
