Trump Files to Have Sept. 18 Sentencing Pushed Back

Donald Trump is making one last-ditch effort to get his sentencing pushed back.

This week, Trump’s legal team filed a motion to move the September 18 sentencing back to after the election.

His legal team is focusing on the conflicts of interest with Judge Merchan and election interference to support the motion.

Push It Back

Trump attorney Todd Blanche wrote, "The Court should adjourn any sentencing in this case, though one should not be necessary because dismissal and vacatur of the jury’s verdicts are required based on Presidential immunity, until after the 2024 Presidential election.”

Blanche also stated that Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz "wrongly referred to this case in a public speech."

Blanche has also cited Authentic Campaigns, the company run by Judge Merchan’s daughter that works for high-profile Democrats.

Blanche continued, "Sentencing is currently scheduled to occur after the commencement of early voting in the Presidential election.

"By adjourning sentencing until after the election — which is of paramount importance to the entire nation, including tens of millions of people who do not share the views of Authentic, its executives, and its clients — the Court would reduce, even if not eliminate, issues regarding the integrity of any future proceedings."

He concluded, "Setting aside naked election-interference objectives, there is no valid countervailing reason for the Court to keep the current sentencing date on the calendar. There is no basis for continuing to rush.

"Accordingly, we respectfully request that any sentencing, if one is needed, be adjourned until after the Presidential election."

So, now the question is if this strategy will work.

Merchan has already denied three motions to have him recuse himself from the case.

He has shot down virtually every motion that Trump’s team has filed, and he clearly does not like Trump.

The point is, I give this a 10% chance at best of being successful.

Merchan has proven in the past that he wants to avoid Trump using this case as fodder for an election loss, so there is hope that it will get moved back, but I just don’t think that will be the case.

Deep down, Merchan knows Dems can use any sentence he dishes out to attack Trump, so I am leaning toward Merchan denying the motion, with just a small light at the end of the tunnel that he will finally cut Trump a break.