Staff Reports
After being convicted on 34 counts of business record violations, former President Trump was initially set for sentencing on July 11. However, thanks to a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming that presidents enjoy some level of partial immunity for actions undertaken during their presidency, his sentence has been conveniently pushed back to September 18. Judge Juan Merchan, perhaps with more time on his hands than he expected, granted this rescheduling, giving both Trump’s defense team and the ever-vigilant office of Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg a chance to regroup and reconsider their strategies.
This case has ignited a veritable firestorm of controversy, particularly due to Judge Merchan’s refusal to step aside despite clear conflicts of interest. His daughter, Loren Merchan, has ties to Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party, but apparently, Judge Merchan either doesn’t know what conflicts of interest are or simply doesn’t care. Legal expert Alan Dershowitz recently chimed in, suggesting that the justice system appears to be operating under a peculiar double standard, which shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with the current political climate. According to Dershowitz, there seems to be a blatant disregard for the impartiality that judges are supposedly meant to uphold.
Dershowitz: I don't think he'll do jail time in any of them, even though in this one, he has mandatory prison sentence if he's convicted, and he very likely will be convicted by a jury that has, you know 3 to 1 Republicans over Democrats… pic.twitter.com/OZ0GbnreJ1
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 17, 2023
Dershowitz expressed his wish that neither Trump nor anyone else would be charged, but his optimism seems misplaced. He is anticipating what can only be described as a theatrical ruling: Merchan is likely to sentence Trump to prison, but then proceed to suspend the sentence as if reading from some courtroom script meant to appease the mob outside. Dershowitz argues this bizarre outcome would allow the court to deliver a “statement” while keeping Trump from becoming a martyr among his supporters—a fine line to walk that demonstrates just how convoluted things have become in the judicial realm. It seems that no one really wants to ruffle the feathers of Trump’s base while still pretending to hold the law above partisan interests.
Fox News’ Sean Hannity suggested that the fallout for Trump might not be as severe as one would anticipate. Sure, some elite circles may attempt to ostracize him, hoping to rescind invitations, but Hannity believes that this move would backfire spectacularly. After all, what are a few snubbed get-togethers compared to the support Trump enjoys? He may end up attending exclusive gatherings in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City, likely bringing the very same liberal elites who ostensibly want him behind bars back into the fold once the dust settles.
The clock has been ticking on Trump’s requests for Judge Merchan to recuse himself, a plea initially made back in May 2023. Trump’s legal team has argued that the judge’s daughter’s campaign support for Biden makes it impossible for him to be impartial. Attempting to leave no stone unturned, Trump’s team recently provided new reasoning for the recusal, which Merchan summarily dismissed. The judge has made it clear that he finds Trump’s arguments unoriginal, repeating objections that had previously fallen on deaf ears. It appears that, as the gears of justice continue to turn, fairness is taking a backseat to politics, leaving many Americans shaking their heads and questioning the integrity of the judicial system.
