Judge in Trump’s hush money case delays sentencing until after election

September 6, 2024

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(NEW YORK) — The judge in former President Donald Trump’s criminal hush money case has delayed his sentencing from Sept. 18 until Nov. 26 — after the presidential election.

The decision, issued in a court filing Friday, means Trump will not face consequences for falsifying business records related to a hush payment to Stormy Daniels before voters choose the next president.

Judge Juan Merchan also said he would now rule on Trump’s motion to set aside the verdict on Nov. 12.

Trump is seeking to have the case dismissed on the grounds of presidential immunity, after the Supreme Court ruled in blockbuster decision that Trump is entitled to immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts undertaken while in office.

“The public’s confidence in the integrity of our judicial system demands a sentencing hearing that is entirely focused on the verdict of the jury and the weighing of aggravating and mitigating factors free from distraction or distortion,” Merchan wrote in his ruling Friday. “The members of this jury served diligently on this case, and their verdict must be respected and addressed in a manner that is not diluted by the enormity of the upcoming presidential election.”

Merchan appeared to arrive at the decision reluctantly, ruling that sentencing would be “adjourned to avoid any appearance — however unwarranted — that the proceeding has been affected by or seeks to affect the approaching Presidential election in which the Defendant is a candidate.”

Merchan’s opinion noted that any conflict was of Trump’s own making as the former president repeatedly sought to delay the proceedings.

“Notably, had Defendant been sentenced on July 11, 2024, as originally scheduled, there would of course have been no cause for delay,” the judge wrote.

Merchan also chided Trump for attempting to bolster his argument with “a litany of perceived and unsubstantiated grievances from previous filings that do not merit this Court’s attention.”

Trump was found guilty in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

He has denied all wrongdoing and has said he will appeal the decision.

Man arrested in Arizona DNC office shootings: Police

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(ARIZONA) — A suspect has been arrested in connection to three separate shooting attacks on a Democratic National Committee office in Arizona, according to Tempe Police Department.

Jeffrey Michael Kelly, 60, faces multiple charges that include unlawful discharge, shooting at a non-residential structure, terrorism and criminal damage.

Kelly is also accused of “hanging suspicious bags of white powder from several political signs lined with razor blades” in Ahwatukee, police said.

On three separate occasions between September and early October, Kelly allegedly fired gunshots at the campaign office, which is shared by Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign and the Democratic Party.

No one was injured in any of the three shootings, all of which police said occurred between midnight and 1 a.m.

Photos taken after the second shooting showed at least five bullet holes in the office’s windows and door.

After the third shooting, police released a photo of a silver Toyota Highlander believed to belong to the suspect and announced a reward of up to $1,000 “for any information that leads to the arrest or indictment of the suspect(s) involved in this crime.”

Florida teen with machete arrested for voter intimidation at polling place

Neptune Beach Police Dept

(NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla.) — An 18-year-old was arrested outside a Florida polling location Tuesday after police said he wielded a machete in order to intimidate voters.

Caleb James Williams faces charges of aggravated assaulted on a person 65 years of age or older and improper exhibition of a firearm or dangerous weapon.

In a press conference after the arrest, Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael J. Key said Williams “brandished a machete in an aggressive, threatening posture over his head” at two women, ages 71 and 54.

Williams was accompanied by seven other male teens, ages 16 and 17, who police said went to the Beaches Branch Library “to protest and antagonize the opposing political side.”

“The group was there for no other reason but for ill intentions to cause a disturbance,” Key said. “This is not an incident of solely a First Amendment protected right, but rather one where they were simply there to cause a ruckus.”

None of the other teens currently face any charges, but Key said the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible.

Duval County Democratic Party Chair Daniel Henry said in a statement the young men had been wielding flags bearing former President Donald Trump’s name during the incident, and that the individuals they confronted were carrying signs in support of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Henry described it as a “troubling act of intimidation” and thanked police for the swift response.

“Violence and intimidation have no place in our democratic process,” Henry said. “The Duval County Democratic Party stands with those who seek to express their views peacefully and without fear of reprisal.”

Key said he is “extremely proud” of police for their handling of the incident.

“Voting in our country is one of the most sacred and protected rights we have,” he said. “Ensuring everyone’s right to vote is crucial and it will not be impeded upon in Neptune Beach or Duval County.”

He also expressed his anger at the incident, and emphasized how seriously police will take such incidents.

“I don’t know if you can see the visceral anger I have, but I’m angry at this — I’m extremely angry at this.” Key said. “It is one thing to go up and exercise your First Amendment right, which we so dearly take as a sacred right to express. But again, the moment you move to violence, that goes out the window.”

“To say I’m disturbed is an understatement. I’m mad that this happened in Neptune Beach,” he added.

Police are in contact with Jerry Holland, the Duval County supervisor of elections, and Key said they are committed to protecting voters’ safety at the polls.

“This is a safe location to vote, it was a safe location to vote today before this incident, and it will continue to remain a safe location to vote,” he said.

Walz to campaign with Presidents Obama, Clinton in early-vote push: Sources

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(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, for the first time this cycle, will soon hit the campaign trail with former President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton, according to a senior campaign official.

The vice presidential nominee will be out with his party’s former standard bearers this week and next week in an effort to push for early voting in battleground states, ABC News has exclusively learned.

The governor will first rally with Clinton in Durham, North Carolina, on Thursday — the first day of early voting in the critical battleground state. Next Tuesday, Walz will travel to Wisconsin, another battleground, with Obama for the start of early voting in that state.

The joint campaign blitzes come as the Harris-Walz ticket has deployed both former presidents — some of its strongest political assets — headed into the final stretch of the election cycle.

Obama hit the trail for the ticket starting on Oct. 10 and has additional stops planned in the run-up to Election Day, according to the campaign.

His first stop was in battleground Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area — a visit where he sternly chided Black men over “excuses” to not vote for Harris, saying he finds them sitting out or voting for former President Donald Trump “not acceptable.”

Obama will also independently hit the campaign trail in the Sun Belt this week, with stops on Friday in Arizona and on Saturday in Nevada — the first days of early voting in the state.

On Sunday and Monday, Clinton made his trail debut with travel across rural communities in Eastern and South Georgia to encourage Georgians to vote early.

Last night, on the eve of early in-person voting in the state, Clinton stumped for the Harris-Walz ticket in battleground Georgia, mounting the stakes of the election and the importance of voting.

“I want you to be happy, and I want you to know that I am here because I believe. I believe, based on my personal knowledge of the job and the candidates, that Kamala Harris will be a fine president,” he said.

“All we gotta do is show up. If we show up, we’ll win,” Clinton added.

The joint principal campaign events also come as Walz himself has made campaign stops related to early voting. The governor campaigned last week in Phoenix and Tucson on the first day of early voting in Arizona.

“I know you’ve started voting here in Arizona. It’s happening across the country. We can make a difference. And I think just the idea of having an administration building on these strong relationships, this is our opportunity to take this to the next level that we need to do,” Walz said at event with tribal leaders in Chandler, Arizona last Wednesday.

ABC News’ Selina Wang, Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report.