DONALD Trump’s sentencing date for his hush money conviction has been delayed two months.
The former president, 78, will now face sentencing on September 18 following the Supreme Court‘s controversial immunity ruling on Monday.
Trump, who was convicted on May 30 on 34 counts of falsifying business records, was originally set to be sentenced on July 11.
However, the former commander-in-chief filed a motion to have his conviction tossed following Monday’s ruling.
The Supreme Court ruled that Trump has some immunity from prosecution related to his “official” acts as president.
In his letter sent to Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the former president’s trial in New York City, Trump’s attorneys argued that his conviction should be thrown out because of the higher court’s decision on presidential immunity.
On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said it would not oppose Trump’s request to file a motion arguing that his conviction should be tossed.
“Although we believe defendant’s arguments to be without merit, we do not oppose his request for leave to file and his putative request to adjourn sentencing pending determination of his motion,” assistant district attorney Josh Steinglass wrote in a letter to Judge Merchan.
‘BIG WIN’
In a historic 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court’s ruling will allow Trump’s pretrial proceedings in Washington DC, where he is facing federal charges related to allegedly conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, to continue.
The country’s highest court ruled that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for their official acts, however, this isn’t applicable to unofficial acts.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson voted against the majority ruling.
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Justice Sotomayor called the decision a “mockery” of the American justice system in her dissent.
“Today’s decision to grant former Presidents criminal immunity reshapes the institution of the Presidency,” she wrote.
“It makes a mockery of the principle, foundational to our Constitution and system of Government, that no man is above the law.”
The justices argued that the ruling creates a “law-free zone around the President.”
“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution,” Sotomayor wrote.
“Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune.”
She added that the President is now “a king above the law.”
Meanwhile, Trump called the ruling a “big win for our Constitution and democracy” on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“Proud to be an American!” he wrote.
‘ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY’ ARGUMENT
Trump has frequently cited George Washington’s farewell address, arguing that the Founding Fathers believed that prosecuting presidents would be detrimental to the nation.
However, Special Prosecutor Jack Smith cited former President Richard Nixon’s 1974 pardon after he was caught in the middle of the Watergate scandal two years earlier.
What does the Trump ruling mean for his campaign?
The Supreme Court ruled on July 1 that preisdents have immunity from official acts while in office but not as private citizens.
Now, the question is if former President Donald Trump can be indicted in the lower courts.
Currently, Trump’s case regarding his actions during the January 6, 2021, attacks on the US Capitol was sent back to trial court.
Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the case, was sent instructions to determine which actions in the indictment constitute official conduct and if they should be dropped from the case.
The highest court ruled that “a former president is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority.”
“There is no immunity of unofficial acts,” the ruling continued.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith, who brought the case against Trump, will now have to restructure his argument due to the new ruling.
Smith will have to argue whether Trump, who was president on January 6, undertook actions in his official capacity.
Criminal charges were made against five men after they were caught breaking into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in Washington DC.
Nixon, who was seeking a second term in The White House at the time, famously denied any involvement.
However, a federal grand jury was preparing to present several charges against the president, such as bribery, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice, according to National Archive documents.
Congress was expected to impeach Nixon, however, the president resigned on August 9, 1974, leading Vice President Gerald Ford to assume the presidency.
Ford would pardon Nixon a month after taking office, protecting him from any criminal prosecution.