Donald Trump at his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, April 26, 2024 (Dave Sanders/Getty)
On Friday, Judge Juan Merchan announced that the sentencing of Donald Trump — convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up his sexual encounter with porn star Stormy Daniels — will take place on January 10, ten days before Trump’s return to the White House.
Merchan indicated that the sentence will be suspended unless Trump re-offends.
EA’s David Dunn of the University of Birmingham joined China’s CGTN to analyze the political significance of the sentencing.
The judge is very keen to show that the rule of law still applies and justice prevails over the crimes of which Trump has been found guilty.
Dunn also looks at the new Congress, with the Republicans holding narrow majorities in both houses, and the likelihood that Trump’s “very radical” proposals on the Government budget and immigration will run into difficulties.
[Editor’s Note: Commenter is ignorant of fact that none of the prosecutions “failed”. The prosecutions of Trump for falsifying business records, for defamation linked to sexual assault, and for fraud succeeded.
And the prosecutions cited below were suspended only because Trump is returning to the White House.]
They tried to remove Trump from the ballot to ensure a Democratic victory in November. It failed.
They tried to charge Trump with orchestrating an insurrection. It failed
They tried to charge Trump with interfering with the allocation of electors in Georgia. It failed and the prosecutor was removed in disgrace.
This is the only thing they can pin him on. He will have any conviction quashed in the appellate courts.