Judge Juan Merchan emphasized that the protections of the presidency do not mitigate the seriousness of Trump's crime, stating, "These protections do not reduce the seriousness of the crime or justify its commission in any way." He asserted that it was necessary for the court to follow the law and respect the legal mandates regarding presidential protections when determining Trump's sentence.
Merchan declared the only lawful sentence for Trump's conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records was an unconditional discharge. He noted, "This court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction, without encroaching on the highest office of the land is unconditional discharge."
Trump characterized the trial as a grievance rather than justice, calling it a "political witch hunt," stating that it was a setback for New York’s legal system. He expressed his belief that the legal proceedings were motivated by political animus against him.
Critics of the conviction argue that it is politically motivated, citing District Attorney Alvin Bragg's campaign statements, while proponents claim that Trump's conviction signifies a victory for the rule of law.
Collection
[
|
...
]