Trump's latest legal move part of a broader strategy to avoid accountability: expert

Former President Donald Trump's ongoing legal battles have taken a new turn as he seeks to delay his sentencing in the Manhattan hush money case until after the 2024 election. This latest move is part of a broader strategy to avoid accountability across all four criminal cases against him, according to Norman Eisen, a former U.S. ambassador and White House official.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments made during the 2016 election. His attorneys have asked Judge Juan Merchan to postpone the sentencing, currently scheduled for September 18, until after Election Day. The Manhattan District Attorney's office, led by Alvin Bragg, has deferred to the judge's discretion but noted "strong reasons" to reject Trump's request.

In a brand new commentary piece at MSNBC.com, Eisen argues that Trump's delay request has no legal basis and should be rejected outright. He points out that under New York sentencing law, the delay must be "reasonable," which he contends this is not. Trump's lawyers cite a recent Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity, but Eisen emphasizes that the Manhattan case concerns unofficial conduct not covered by such immunity.

"...there is no basis for this latest delay under the law, and Trump’s political purposes are so obvious, the court should reject this out of hand," Eisen writes.

The commentary also addresses Trump's other arguments for delay, including claims of potential impropriety and bias. Eisen notes that these claims have been consistently rejected, including by the New York Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics. He argues that delaying the sentencing could actually increase the appearance of impropriety, especially if Trump were to be elected president before sentencing.

"Whatever may be said about the mix of official and unofficial acts at issue in the 2020 attempted coup, which was the subject of the Supreme Court’s decision, the Manhattan case clearly concernsunofficial conduct," according to Eisen.

Eisen strongly advocates for proceeding with the sentencing as scheduled, arguing that Trump should not receive special treatment due to his status as a presidential candidate. He contends that timely sentencing serves the purposes of justice, including deterrence of potential future election crimes. Moreover, Eisen suggests that the sentencing hearing would provide valuable information to voters about the seriousness of Trump's crimes before they cast their ballots in November.

NOW READ: Harris now leads Trump in new key Nebraska poll