The Manhattan District Attorney's office has filed a brief arguing against dismissing President-elect Donald Trump's guilty verdict in the Manhattan criminal case. They propose alternatives to keep the case active until after a potential second Trump administration, asserting that "president-elect immunity" doesn't exist and that even after inauguration, temporary presidential immunity doesn't justify discarding the jury's verdict.
Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush-money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election campaign. Trump maintains his innocence and claims the case is politically motivated.
Trump's sentencing has been repeatedly delayed. His lawyers sought to overturn the verdict based on a Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity for official acts, but the judge hasn't ruled on this yet.
The DA's office suggests several options to keep the case open until 2029, arguing that while Trump can't be sentenced as president, there's no legal obstacle to postponing sentencing until after his term. They emphasize that this approach respects the rule of law and preserves the completed phases of the trial while accommodating presidential immunity.
A Trump spokesperson criticized the filing as an attempt to salvage a politically motivated "hoax," arguing for immediate dismissal to allow Trump to focus on the presidential transition. The DA's office also suggested using a legal procedure called abatement, sometimes employed when a defendant dies after conviction but before sentencing, to preserve the conviction while halting further proceedings.
Following Trump's election victory, his officials stated the case was "effectively over" after the DA requested the stay. They believe the case will ultimately be dismissed.
