Judge to consider tossing Trump's New York criminal charges
New York Judge Juan Merchan has once again decided to postpone sentencing in President-elect Donald Trump's Manhattan criminal case, in which he was found guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
On Friday, Merchan granted a request from Trump's attorney to file a motion to dismiss the case, further pushing back the potential sentencing date, originally slated for July.
Merchan will 'seriously entertain throwing the whole case out.'
Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, sent a letter to Merchan on Wednesday requesting to file a motion to dismiss the case.
Blanche called Trump's election win "a mandate that supersedes the political motivations of DANY's 'People,'" referring to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
"This case must be immediately dismissed," he demanded.
Blanche argued that the potential continuation of the case would be "uniquely destabilizing" for the country.
Earlier this week, Bragg agreed with the defense's request to stay the case but noted that he would oppose a motion to dismiss.
Merchan declared that the motion for dismissal and the prosecution's response are due in early December.
Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump and the incoming White House communication director, told Fox News Digital that the judge's latest announcement marked a "decisive win" for the president-elect.
"In a decisive win for President Trump, the hoax Manhattan case is now fully stayed and sentencing is adjourned," Cheung told the news outlet. "President Trump won a landslide victory, as the American people have issued a mandate to return him to office and dispose of all remnants of the Witch Hunt cases."
"All of the sham lawfare attacks against President Trump are now destroyed, and we are focused on Making America Great Again," he declared.
In response to Merchan's agreement to consider Blanche's request for dismissal, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk wrote on X, "The legal assault against President Trump is dying a slow, painful, and embarrassing death."
Senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano told Newsmax that Merchan's move indicated that he will "seriously entertain throwing the whole case out."
Napolitano explained that Merchan may toss the convictions based on two potential reasons: "Either because some of the evidence that he permitted the jury to hear was immunized by the [United States] Supreme Court after the case came down … or because Donald Trump is about to become president of the United States and he shouldn't have this interfering with his administration of the executive branch of the federal government."
He predicted that the courtroom "will be absolutely packed" when Merchan holds the oral argument for dismissal.
Napolitano noted that under New York State law, Trump is not convicted unless the sentencing is completed.
The other three criminal cases against Trump are also falling apart. Special counsel Jack Smith, who has led the two federal indictments against the president-elect, has requested the cancellation of related deadlines and is reportedly planning to wrap up his involvement and step down ahead of Inauguration Day. The Georgia case, a state-level indictment, remains on hold and likely far away from a trial date.
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