With just 10 days left until his second term begins, President Donald Trump was compelled to appear virtually before Judge Juan Merchan for sentencing in one of several court cases that critics have described as unsuccessful efforts to derail Trump’s political career.
As Merchan had previously signaled, Trump was not given any penalty during Friday’s sentencing hearing.
According to The Hill:
New York jurors in May found him guilty of 34 felonies over a scheme intended to unlawfully sway the 2016 election by concealing a payment to a porn actor to keep quiet about their alleged affair, which Trump has denied.
“After careful analysis and obedience of government mandates, pursuant of law, the court feels the only sentence is an unconditional discharge, which is a lawful and permissible sentence for falsifying business records,” Merchan said, according to The Hill’s affiliate, NewsNation, which was in the courtroom.
“I impose that sentence for all 34 counts, and sir, I wish you godspeed as you pursue your second term in office,” the judge said.
With the judge’s permission, Trump appeared virtually for the roughly 40-minute sentencing hearing Friday.
While the hearing might have kept Trump out of jail, Merchan’s ruling wasn’t enough to