Trump to Be Sentenced Friday: First Convicted Felon Set to Take Office as U.S. President
Donald Trump, the President-elect, is scheduled to be sentenced this Friday, January 10, in New York for 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records. This comes despite his efforts to delay the process until after his January 20 inauguration. On Tuesday, Justice Ellen Gesmer from New York’s Appellate Division denied Trump’s request to postpone the sentencing.
Trump’s legal team argued that sentencing a sitting president could interfere with his presidential duties, but the judge rejected this, keeping the original date. Trump now has to appeal to New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. If this appeal doesn’t succeed or isn’t decided before January 10, Trump’s last option would be the U.S. Supreme Court.
New York law allows sentencing to happen even if Trump doesn’t attend. According to former assistant U.S. attorney Mitchell Epner, if sentenced to “unconditional release,” Trump could appeal his convictions while serving as president. However, legal experts doubt his chances of success. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, overseen by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, is unlikely to favor Trump due to her past rulings.
The expected sentence of “unconditional release” means Trump will avoid jail time or fines, despite facing up to 20 years in prison. Still, this conviction will make him the first-ever convicted felon to become U.S. president.
Former Watergate prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks praised the judge’s decision, calling it “good news.” This decision contrasts with controversial rulings by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, who blocked the release of an investigative report by special counsel Jack Smith.
Some commentators believe Trump’s legal team is running out of time. Historian Varad Mehta suggested they should act quickly, tweeting that they should file in federal court immediately.
Trump’s sentencing, originally set for July, was delayed multiple times by Justice Juan Merchan to review legal complexities, including Trump’s immunity for official acts. Now, with no further delays expected, the January 10 sentencing will mark a historic and unprecedented event in U.S. history.
