Staff Reports
Here we go again, folks. The New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his merry band of prosecutors have decided to delay the sentencing for former President Donald Trump. Scheduled for July 11, this delay follows a Supreme Court ruling that affirms U.S. presidents have immunity for official acts. Trump’s legal team wasted no time, filing a letter with Judge Juan Merchan to toss out all 34 convictions, leaning on the Supreme Court’s recent opinion like a crutch after a long marathon.
It’s remarkable what happens when the highest court in the land reminds everyone that the president isn’t just your average Joe. Yes, while the Manhattan case focuses on Trump’s personal activities during his campaign, his legal team argued that evidence used against him did intertwine with his time in the White House. According to some reports, this evidence shouldn’t have been part of the case at all, thanks to the new ruling. It seems the legal eagles believe that the fishing trip shouldn’t have caught any fish from the presidential pond.
NEW – The Manhattan DA’s office said Tuesday it would not oppose Trump’s request to file a motion arguing his conviction should be tossed, a move that will almost certainly delay Trump’s sentencing, which is currently set for July 11. Reporting w/ @AaronKatersky & @PCCharalambous pic.twitter.com/z6VzU8L2ug
— Katherine Faulders (@KFaulders) July 2, 2024
And so, Tuesday rolled in with the Manhattan DA’s office declaring they wouldn’t oppose Trump’s move to file a motion to have his conviction tossed. This predictable move will delay the sentencing, which some had hoped would be the nail in Trump’s political coffin. Little do they know, such delays might instead give him a fresh set of nine lives. July 11 can go ahead and mark its calendar for something else because Trump’s dance with the courts isn’t ending just yet.
What makes this case so intriguing is the Supreme Court’s recent decision, which punts the definition of an “official act” back to the lower courts. It’s like watching a hot potato being passed around with gloves that just keep getting thicker. Trump’s conviction of falsifying business records is now muddied with arguments about whether evidence from his presidency can be used at all. This opens up a new arena for legal jousting, and heaven knows we need more.
Chief Justice John Roberts didn’t mince words in the opinion, laying out that a former president ought to have some immunity from prosecution for actions taken during his presidency. While unofficial acts have no such protection, official actions certainly do. This case is a historic first: a criminal prosecution of a former president for actions during his presidency. One can only imagine the fireworks as the courts determine the scope of presidential power under the Constitution.
