After having his last-minute appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court denied on Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge on 34 counts of falsifying business records on Friday.
The sentencing means Trump will not face any jail time or parole requirements following his 2024 conviction. He also was not fined for his conviction.
The lack of a formal punishment was recommended by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass based on the "unique posture and the defendant's status as president-elect."
Trump was convicted last May of 34 counts of falsifying business records, including what prosecutors described as a scheme to cover up a hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Trump's lawyers said in a motion to the Supreme Court that his sentencing should be delayed. Sitting presidents are not subject to prosecution, and Trump's lawyers argued that protections sitting presidents have should also apply to presidents-elect.
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His lawyers also believed that Trump's 2024 conviction should be thrown out over grounds that former presidents are immune from prosecution for official acts taken while president.
Trump, who attended the meeting virtually, spoke during Friday's hearing, saying his conduct was not illegal and was called a legal expense.
"This has been a terrible experience and setback for New York and the New York court system," Trump said.
During Friday's hearing, Steinglass, who is part of the Manhattan district attorney's team, said Trump “has engaged in a coordinated campaign to undermine (the trial's) legitimacy." He added that Trump has publicly threatened to retaliate against prosecutors who have held him accountable and courts who have endeavored to fairly adjudicate cases.
Todd Blanche, who is representing Trump, disagreed with much of what Steinglass said about this case, the legitimacy of what happened in the courtroom and about Trump's conduct.
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Judge Juan Merchan said that inside the courtroom, it was a very normal case, and everyone did their jobs as they would with any other criminal trial. He also added that a jury's verdict could not be undone.
Sentencing had faced multiple delays, first because of the Supreme Court's ruling on immunity. It faced continued delays as Merchan did not want to hold the hearing right before the presidential election.
During the six-week trial, prosecutors argued Trump falsified the records to conceal damaging stories, including an alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The New York criminal trial was the first of four Trump faced. He faced federal charges in Florida for his handling of classified documents. He was also indicted in Washington, D.C., for allegedly engaging in a conspiracy to subvert the 2020 presidential election. In Georgia, Trump also faced charges for allegedly interfering with the election.
Those three cases did not go to trial before Trump was elected in November.
