Judge denies Trump motion to stop NY criminal case sentencing
A judge in New York has denied a motion filed by President-elect Donald Trump to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing in the New York v. Trump case.
Trump was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in the Manhattan case in May 2024. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office worked to prove that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to quiet her claims of an alleged affair with Trump in 2006.
New York Judge Juan Merchan set Trump's sentencing date in the case earlier this month, ahead of his inauguration as president on Jan. 20. The former and upcoming president had requested the verdict in the case be vacated based on the Supreme Court's presidential immunity decision last year, which was denied by Merchan.
Fox News Digital learned yesterday that Trump filed a motion to stay the Jan. 10 sentencing.
TRUMP FILES MOTION TO STAY ‘UNLAWFUL SENTENCING’ IN NEW YORK CASE
"Today, President Trump’s legal team moved to stop the unlawful sentencing in the Manhattan D.A.’s Witch Hunt. The Supreme Court’s historic decision on Immunity, the state constitution of New York, and other established legal precedent mandate that this meritless hoax be immediately dismissed," said Trump spokesman and incoming White House communications director Steven Cheung.
"The American People elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate that demands an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and all of the remaining Witch Hunts. We look forward to uniting our country in the new administration as President Trump makes America great again," Cheung continued.
However, Associate Justice Ellen Gesmer issued a filing Tuesday saying that "after consideration of the papers submitted and the extensive oral argument, movant’s application for an interim stay is denied."
Trump remains set to be sentenced on Friday, Jan. 10, at 9:30 a.m. He plans to attend virtually.
Trump has maintained his innocence in the case and repeatedly railed against it as an example of lawfare promoted by Democrats in an effort to hurt his election efforts ahead of November.
Fox News' Emma Colton and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.