The New York judge who presided over Donald Trump’s hush money case on Friday sentenced the president-elect to an “unconditional discharge,” meaning he is now a convicted felon in the eyes of New York state law but will face no further penalties.
“This has been a very terrible experience,” a dour Trump said, speaking remotely from his Florida home when allowed to address the judge.
“It was done to damage my reputation so I would lose the election,” he said. “I am totally innocent. I did nothing wrong,” he maintained.
The sentencing came just 10 days before Trump is set to be sworn in as the country’s 47th president.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Judge Juan Merchan said before he handed down his sentence. “This has been a truly extraordinary case.”
He cited the immunity and legal protections Trump will soon have as the reasons for sentencing him with an unconditional discharge, which he called “the only lawful sentence that permits entry of a judgment of conviction without encroaching upon the highest office in the land.”
“Donald Trump, the ordinary citizen, Donald Trump, the criminal defendant, would not be entitled to such considerable protections,” Merchan said.
Trump’s attorneys had repeatedly sought to stay the proceeding, which Merchan scheduled last week. Their appeals to Merchan, two state appeals courts and even the country’s highest court over the past week were unsuccessful. Trump’s last hope, the U.S. Supreme Court, declined to block the proceeding in a 5-4 ruling late Thursday.
Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass said in court that Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts punishable by one to four years in prison, but recommended the judge hand down “a sentence of unconditional release” given the unique circumstances of the case.
“We must be respectful of the office of the presidency, and mindful of the fact that this defendant will be inaugurated as president in ten days,” Steinglass said, while also saying that Trump has acted like he’s “above the law” throughout the case, including with his frequent verbal attacks on the judge, prosecutors and even their family members.
“This defendant has caused enduring damage to the public perception of the criminal justice system,” he said.
Trump attorney Todd Blanche countered that it was the Manhattan district attorney’s office that overstepped in the case. He said Steinglass’ position assumes “this case is legally appropriate, and the charges that were brought by the people were consistent with the laws of New York. Again we very much disagree with that.”
“This is a case that without a doubt was brought by a district attorney who promised he would go after President Trump if elected, and he had to go through with that promise,” Blanche said.
“It’s a very sad day. It’s a sad day for President Trump and his family and his friends, but it’s also, in counsel’s view, a sad day for this country,” Blanche said, adding that Trump planned to fully appeal the case after the sentence was entered.
