Trump’s Hush Money Sentencing Delayed Until After Election

Judge Juan Merchan announced on Friday his decision to postpone former President Donald Trump’s sentencing hearing until after the 2024 presidential election.

The Details: Merchan, the New York judge overseeing the hush money case involving Stormy Daniels and Trump’s business records, was originally scheduled to sentence Trump on September 18, with the new date being moved to November 26.

For Context: In his 4-page letter, Merchan said his decision was based at least in part on the desire to avoid any concern over influencing the presidential race. Merchan also mentioned the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity as a major factor in his decision. Trump has also appealed the guilty verdict, arguing that the case should be overturned, especially considering the Supreme Court’s decision on immunity.

How the Media Covered It: Media on the left, such as CNN (Lean Left bias), were critical of Trump’s response to the delay, saying that Trump “falsely stated” the postponement of the hearing was because he did no wrong. Outlets on the right, like Fox News (Right bias), tended to highlight the rhetoric surrounding Trump and his legal team more than those on the left. This included references to Merchan’s daughter, who works at Authentic Campaigns, an organization that represents top Democratic candidates. Outlets on the left tended to omit this information.