Experts suggest that regardless of New York Judge Juan Merchan’s ruling, it is unlikely that the President-elect will be sentenced to prison time. Merchan is expected to make a decision by Nov. 12 on whether President-elect Donald Trump can avoid sentencing later this month due to questions about his immunity under the Constitution.
Trump has requested Merchan to dismiss an indictment by New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg related to a payment made to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels. Despite being found guilty of various felony counts of falsifying documents by a jury, Trump’s attorneys argue that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States grants presidents different levels of criminal immunity for their official conduct, which should prevent certain evidence and witness testimony from being used.
Bragg countered Trump’s arguments by stating that Trump had delayed raising some of his immunity arguments and that a federal judge had ruled the conduct in question as outside a president’s official duties. Judge Alvin Hellerstein also rejected Trump’s request to move the case to federal court, emphasizing that the hush money payments were private, unofficial acts not within the bounds of executive authority.
Prosecutors allege that the Trump Organization falsified documents to conceal payments to Clifford in an attempt to influence the 2016 election, and testimony from former White House staff, Cohen, and Clifford was heard. Trump’s legal team argues that this testimony, along with Trump’s social media posts, involved official acts protected by the Supreme Court’s immunity decision.
While the outcome of Merchan’s ruling remains uncertain, it is unlikely that Trump will face prison time regardless of the decision. Legal experts have suggested that imprisoning Trump would unconstitutionally hinder his ability to fulfill his presidential duties, and he may instead face fines as a private citizen. Please rewrite this sentence.
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