Donald Trump is set to officially commence his second term as president while bearing the title of a convicted felon, following his formal sentencing on Friday in New York related to his hush money trial. Remarkably, Trump will not serve jail time, receive probation, or incur any monetary penalties, as he was granted an “unconditional discharge.” This means his conviction stands, yet it is not accompanied by any consequences.
During a May trial overseen by Judge Juan Merchan, Trump faced conviction on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in an effort to hide a $130,000 hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Attending his sentencing virtually, Trump maintained his stance of being “totally innocent,” describing the prosecution as a “setback” for New York’s legal system and labeling the trial as a “very terrible experience.”
Judge Merchan emphasized on Friday that “Donald Trump, the ordinary citizen” and “Donald Trump, the criminal defendant” were not entitled to any legal advantages. He remarked, “However, the substantial legal protections granted to the office of the chief executive are a factor that outweighs all others.” He clarified that these protections do not diminish the severity of the crime or justify its occurrence.
Friday’s sentencing was notably lesser than the maximum penalties Trump could have faced. Each of the 34 felony counts carried a potential sentence of up to four years in prison along with a $5,000 fine.
Prior to sentencing, Trump sought a stay of the proceedings earlier this week, even appealing to the Supreme Court for intervention before his inauguration on January 20. However, those attempts were denied. Trump’s legal team argued that despite being president-elect, an impending appeal would proceed once he assumed office, at which point he should be granted presidential immunity under a controversial Supreme Court ruling from the previous year.
With Trump set to become the 47th President of the United States, Judge Juan Merchan had indicated prior to Friday’s hearing that he was likely to grant an unconditional discharge, confirming that while the charges would remain, Trump would not be liable for fines, probation, or imprisonment. In last week’s ruling, Merchan referred to this outcome as the “most viable solution to ensure finality and permit the Defendant to pursue his appellate options.”
The post Donald Trump Sentenced in Hush Money Trial: No Jail, No Fine but President-Elect Is Officially a Convicted Felon appeared first on TheWrap.
