The office of Democrat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is opposing an effort by President-elect Donald Trump to suspend his sentencing Friday on a conviction for falsifying business records ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration.
Trump's attorneys argued their intent to appeal Judge Juan Merchan's recent decisions should automatically pause all proceedings in the case. Trump was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records regarding a $130,000 payment former attorney Michael Cohen allegedly made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
Matthew Colangelo, who was brought in by Bragg to help prosecute the case after being associate attorney general in the Biden administration, argued in a court filing that Trump's intention to appeal decisions by Merchan allowing the conviction to stand does not mean the case should be delayed, The Hill reported Monday.
"There is no risk here of an 'extended proceeding' that impairs the discharge of defendant's official duties — duties he does not possess before January 20, 2025, in any event," Colangelo wrote.
Trump's sentencing initially was set for July 11, then postponed twice. After Trump's victory in November, Merchan delayed sentencing again, so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case.
Merchan reportedly signaled he intends to grant Trump an unconditional discharge, with no punishment for his conviction. He said he is not inclined to sentence Trump to any prison time, given concerns about his immunity from criminal prosecution upon taking the oath of office.
Colangelo wrote that Trump's likely unconditional discharge is why he would not suffer prejudice from concluding the case Friday, The Hill reported. An entry of judgment — which follows a sentence — would allow Trump to formally seek the appeal he has repeatedly vowed to pursue.
"And the current schedule is entirely a function of defendant's repeated requests to adjourn a sentencing date that was originally set for July 11, 2024; he should not now be heard to complain of harm from delays he caused," Colangelo wrote.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.