Trump can seek dismissal of hush money case as sentencing postponed

US

The judge presiding over Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial has postponed the sentencing scheduled for next week and has granted permission for his lawyers to seek dismissal of the case.

State Judge Juan Merchan ruled after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said in a court filing earlier this week that it wouldn’t oppose a motion by Trump’s attorneys to delay his sentencing on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

In May, a New York jury found the now president-elect guilty of falsifying business records to commit election fraud.

Trump was at the centre of a scheme to cover up “hush money” payments to buy the silence of a porn star in the days before the 2016 election.

When revelations by Stormy Daniels of a sexual liaison with Trump threatened to upend his presidential campaign, he directed his lawyer to pay her $130,000 (£102,000) to keep her quiet.

The payment buried the story, and Trump was later elected to be the 45th president of the United States.

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