Donald Trump asks judge to delay hush money case sentencing until after November election

A letter by a Trump lawyer suggested that sentencing the former president as scheduled on September 18 would amount to election interference

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Former US president Donald Trump with his attorney Todd Blanche after being found guilty on all 34 counts in his hush money trial at Manhattan Criminal Court. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

Published: 11:47pm, 15 Aug 2024Updated: 2:07am, 16 Aug 2024

Donald Trump is asking the judge in his New York hush money criminal case to delay his sentencing until after the November presidential election.

In a letter made public on Thursday, a lawyer for the former president and current Republican nominee suggested that sentencing Trump as scheduled on September 18 – about seven weeks before Election Day – would amount to election interference.

Trump lawyer Todd Blanche wrote that a delay would also allow Trump time to weigh next steps after the trial judge, Juan M. Merchan, is expected to rule September 16 on the defence’s request to overturn the verdict and dismiss the case because of the US Supreme Court’s July presidential immunity ruling.

“There is no basis for continuing to rush,” Blanche wrote.

Blanche sent the letter to Merchan on Wednesday after the judge rejected the defence’s latest request that he step aside from the case.

Donald Trump with attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove at his criminal trial at Manhattan Criminal Court. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

In the letter, Blanche reiterated the defence argument that the judge has a conflict of interest because his daughter works as a Democratic political consultant, including for Kamala Harris when she sought the 2020 presidential nomination. Harris is now running against Trump.