Lawyers argue that continuing the case will interfere with Trump’s preparations to return to the White House and impede his ability to govern the country. And they even ask that the judges respect the re-election.
Lawyers for the US president-elect on Thursday urged a judge to ignore prosecutors trying to preserve Donald Trump’s historic bribery conviction, and asked that the case be dismissed before his inauguration in January.
In a letter made public in New York, Trump’s lawyers, echoing his position since his presidential victory on the 5th of this month, argued that the continuation of the case will interfere with the president-elect’s preparations to return to the White House and impede his ability to govern the country.
The lawyers, Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, say voters’ decision to return Trump to office should take precedence over the opinion of prosecutors, known in court parlance as the “People of the State of New York.”
“The People of the Nation issued a mandate that nullifies the motivations of the ‘People’ [do promotor público]”, Blanche and Bove wrote to Judge Juan M. Merchán.
“This case must be closed immediately.“they stated, warning that otherwise the expanded resources would overlap with Trump’s second term.
Trump, a Republican, tapped Blanche and Bove for senior Justice Department positions for the future administration, which he will take over after the president-elect takes office on Jan. 20, 2025.
Trump, who denies the allegations, was convicted in May of falsifying business records to cover up a scheme to influence the 2016 election by paying hush money over a story of extramarital sex.
In a court filing Tuesday, the Manhattan district attorney’s office opposed dismissing Trump’s case, but prosecutors expressed a willingness to delay his sentencing until after his next term.
“We have important constitutional interests in conflict: the office of presidency and all the complications that arise from it and, on the other hand, the sanctity of the jury’s verdict,” Democratic lawyer Alvin Bragg admitted when speaking Thursday. on the Citizens Crime Commission, a local civic group.
Trump’s lawyers intend to file more documents to formalize a final request to dismiss what they consider a “politically motivated and fatally flawed” case.
Blanche and Bove asked for the filing to be made by Dec. 20 so they can see what special counsel Jack Smith says in the coming weeks about closing two federal cases against Trump.
Judge Merchán did not set a deadline for this presentation, nor for a possible decision.
However, the case is effectively suspended. The reading of Trump’s sentence, which was scheduled for the 26th of this month, will no longer take place as planned.
An impeachment would erase Trump’s conviction, the first of a former US president.
If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump could face a fine, probation or up to four years in prison.
Source: Observadora
