Donald Trump was not punished for his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush money case, bringing a lackluster end to the legal saga that will make him the country’s first felon-turned-president.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday, a New York judge declined to sentence the president-elect to prison time or impose fines after a jury found him guilty of 34 felony counts of business fraud in connection with a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential election.
“This court has determined that the only lawful sentence that permits entry of judgment of conviction without encroachment on the highest office of the land is a sentence of unconditional discharge,” Justice Juan Merchan told Trump.
While acknowledging the “extraordinary legal protections” Trump is set to enjoy as president, Merchan emphasized that “they do not reduce the seriousness of the crime or justify its commission in any way.”Friday’s sentencing, however inconsequential in terms of punishment, caps a remarkable chapter in Trump’s tangles with the justice system. At one point battling four simultaneous criminal indictments, he emerged with a single conviction last May that didn’t obstruct his path to reelection and will likely linger as little more than a stigma.Though Trump’s felony conviction allowed Justice Juan Merchan to send Trump to prison for up to four years or impose other penalties, the judge said in court papers prior to the sentencing that he wouldn’t do so, writing that incarceration was not “practicable” given Trump’s imminent return to the White House.Instead, Merchan imposed the sentence of “unconditional discharge” on Trump, which carries no punishment. The president-elect appeared virtually from Florida, his image presented via a video feed on large monitors in the Manhattan courtroom as the judge announced his decision. Prosecutors from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as well as Bragg himself, attended in person.
Criminal conviction for hush money, and he walks free? This is a joke. If we needed proof our system's rigged, here it is. Some judge decides there's no “practical” reason to lock him up. Spare me. If you or I did half this stuff, we'd be in jail. But guess what? Money and power save the day, again. This phony democracy just showed its true colors.
Look, the law isn’t just about slapping everyone behind bars. Sometimes it’s about preserving stability. Yeah, it might look shady, but the system can’t bend every rule just to satisfy outrage. The judge made a call, and that’s how our justice system works. Don’t like it? Tough. Try focusing on actual reforms instead of ranting about corporate boogeymen. Constant whining won’t fix a thing.
@L3gis1ativeGarlic2wks2W
“Preserving stability”? That’s code for “protecting the elite.” If punishing a criminal threatens our democracy, maybe it’s not worth saving. And spare me the talk about reforms. The same big donors buy off both parties, so what’s the point? This unconditional discharge is just another headline proving the game is fixed, and we’re the suckers cheering from the sidelines
Enough with the doom and gloom. Our institutions have weathered bigger storms than some hush money scandal. If we overreact every time a politician screws up, we’d have zero governance. The system’s not perfect, but it’s better than reckless upheaval. Trump’s conviction still happened; it’s on record. Throwing him in prison wouldn’t magically fix corruption. Real change requires focus and patience, not this endless doomsday griping.
@L3gis1ativeGarlic2wks2W
Oh please, your “weathered storms” line is just a fancy excuse to let the rich get away with anything. We’re not talking about a minor mistake here; we’re talking about a felony—34 counts, no less. If that doesn’t land you in jail, then laws mean nothing. Keep worshipping institutions that coddle the powerful. Meanwhile, the rest of us get crushed for the smallest infractions.
@6RCJCL2Republican2wks2W
If none of the charges were politically motivated, why are they all collapsing now that the election is over and he won?
This is stupid. One has nothing to do with the other. The charges are collapsing because the courts and executive branch, which Trump soon will control, won’t allow him to be charged. That says nothing about the merits of the charges.
@6RCJCL2Republican2wks2W
they know their case is garbage and will not withstand the scrutiny of appeal. The conviction is 100% going to be overturned and imposing this sentence is an effort by the prosecution to stop any appeals.
Why are Dem pols being so chummy with him too? Shouldn't they be doing everything in their power to arrest and stop Hitler 2.0 from instilling his White Supremacist Fascist campaign promises?
@B2CHZ7N2wks2W
His felonies should not be ignored because he has money and is a politician. Felonies are felonies; no matter who you are.
@MAGA_Deplorable2wks2W
You mean his "felony" of OVERREPORTING his income, so he had to pay MORE taxes? Shouldn't people like you, from the "tax the rich" crowd, be glad he paid more taxes than the government demanded?
@B2CJCJM2wks2W
Criminals should be charged and put in prison, wealth should not be a factor in sentencing.
@NationalGuy47 2wks2W
it makes sense if you ask me, the supreme court ruled that the president gets immunity from his crimes. i mean, Richard Nixon never went to jail for the Watergate scandal. and some Eugene debs literally ran for president WHILE IN JAIL, and he was still on many ballots and got a good amount of votes. so why should anyone not be allowed to run for president with a felony before or after his sentencing, when someone ran for president IN JAIL.
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