AP Images Alvin Bragg
New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg has conceded that Donald Trump’s Manhattan trial sentencing hearing, scheduled for November 26, 2024, should be adjourned. He stated in a letter to New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan that a court date should be set for Trump’s forthcoming motion to dismiss:
For the reasons more fully explained below, the People believe that the Court should set a motion schedule for Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss, which the People intend to oppose. Assuming Defendant is permitted by the Court to file a motion to dismiss and does so promptly, the People ask that their response to Defendant’s motion be due on Monday, December 9. The People believe that further proceedings before this Court should be adjourned to permit litigation of Defendant’s forthcoming motion to dismiss and, therefore, the People would not oppose a defense motion for a stay of further proceedings before this Court while Defendant’s motion is adjudicated.
Trump Communications Director Steven Cheung released a press statement in response to the letter:
In the letter to Merchan, Bragg maintained Trump should be sentenced, stating that presidential immunity does not require dismissal of a post-trial criminal proceeding:
No current law establishes that a president’s temporary immunity from prosecution requires dismissal of a post-trial criminal proceeding that was initiated at a time when the defendant was not immune from criminal prosecution and that is based on unofficial conduct for which the defendant is also not immune.
Trump’s attorneys stated dismissal of the Manhattan trial is necessary under the Constitution, and requested that Bragg dismiss the case with prejudice. They noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to dismiss the federal cases against Trump:
On behalf of our client President Donald J. Trump, we respectfully request that you dismiss the above-referenced case with prejudice, and consent to a stay of all deadlines in the case while you consider this request and during the pendency of the appeal in People v. Trump, 24-2299-cv (2d Cir.). DOJ is reportedly preparing to dismiss the federal cases against President Trump, 1 and we were informed by the Special Counsel’s Office last night that they plan to seek a stay of the federal case-related deadlines until December 2, 2024 while those deliberations are under way. Consistent with those actions, dismissal of this case is necessary under the Constitution and federal law to facilitate the orderly transition of Executive power-and in the interests of justice- following President Trump’s victory in the Electoral College and the popular vote in the 2024 Presidential election.
Representative Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) spoke with Newsmax earlier today, claiming politically motivated prosecutors targeted Trump in order to interfere with the 2024 presidential election. He said prosecutors are now attempting to have the cases dismissed to avoid accountability, stating in a post on X:
