Prosecutors Ask Judge to Deny Trump's Bid for Sentencing Delay

NEW YORK—The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has criticized the latest attempt by former President Donald Trump to delay sentencing in the hush money case against him involving AVN Hall of Famer Stormy Daniels. Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a conspiracy to pay Daniels to remain silent about an affair the two had at Lake Tahoe in 2006 to unlawfully sway the 2016 presidential election. Last week, Trump's attorneys filed a longshot request with a federal district court asking that the trial be removed from the New York Supreme Court. Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, Trump's lead attorneys, said that this case caused "direct and irreparable harm" to Trump. Presiding judge Juan Merchan scheduled sentencing for September 18 after pushing back the hearing after the U.S. Supreme Court adopted a controversial ruling that significantly expanded presidential immunity. Merchan is considering the findings of the high court. However, Blanche and Bove have maintained that the prosecution's case against Trump falls apart when applying the immunity ruling. On the other hand, the prosecutors believe that Trump's defense falls short in providing standing to delay his sentencing hearing. "Federal law is clear that proceedings in this court need not be stayed pending the district court's resolution of defendant's removal notice," reads a letter sent by the prosecution last week to Judge Merchan. The letter adds that "the concerns [the] defendant expresses about timing are a function of his own strategic and dilatory litigation tactics." Here, the prosecution directly addresses claims that Trump's attorneys believe sentencing before the 2024 presidential election could be harmful to the fairness of the race between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.