President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that the New York judge overseeing his business-record case be disbarred.
Mr. Trump’s ire was directed at New York State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan, who on Friday decided he would uphold the criminal conviction against the president-elect but wouldn’t impose jail time.
In May, Mr. Trump was convicted by a jury on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to concealing payments made by his lawyer, Michael Cohen, on his behalf to cover up an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels.
“I was hiding nothing, everything was out in the open for all to see,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social. “Every legal scholar of note said there IS NO CASE AGAINST ME. The judge should be disbarred! This is why people, and companies, are FLEEING New York — A corrupt court system.”
Mr. Trump argued that he never falsified business records and that the conviction came from “a fake, made up charge by a corrupt judge who is just doing the work of the Biden/Harris Injustice Department.”
He added, “He may be the most conflicted judge in New York State history. The accountant testified, with total corroboration, that the records were perfect & totally above board. A legal expense was called, on the books, a legal expense. There was nothing else it could have been called.”
Mr. Trump’s sentencing, which has been delayed repeatedly since he was convicted last year, is set for Jan. 10.
He was ordered to appear in person or virtually, but his legal team has vowed to fight the order, placing the timing of his sentencing up in the air.
“President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts,” Trump communications director Steven Cheung said. “There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”
Mr. Trump’s critics hoped the conviction, along with his other legal troubles, would sink his bid for a second term. Ultimately, he seemed to thrive from the adversity and won election against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Special counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss federal cases against him, and a Georgia racketeering case against Mr. Trump is in limbo due to a conflict of interest concerning Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Judge Merchan refused to dismiss the conviction against the president-elect over claims that the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling invalidated the case. The judge wrote that dismissing the conviction and jury’s decision would “not serve the concerns set forth by the Supreme Court” and would instead undermine the law.
In his decision to move ahead with sentencing, Judge Merchan said the best way to dispose of the case was with an unconditional discharge, which is a more lenient alternative to probation or jail time.
“It seems proper at this juncture to make known the court’s inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction but one the people concede they no longer view as a practicable recommendation,” Judge Merchan wrote.
Mr. Trump was ordered to appear either in person or virtually, but his legal team has vowed to fight the order, placing the timing of his sentencing up in the air.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.